I'm an Introvert But...

So I'm an introvert, but when I say that, I think it comes with a lot of stereotypes--not bad ones, just ones that aren't necessarily true for all introverts. If I tell people I'm an introvert, they often say "No you're not! You love to talk and do stuff and go places!" The truth is that the term introvert, like any other type of classification, has a myriad of variations. I love this definition of introvert that I found: "A person who is energized by spending time alone". (thanks vocabulary.com)  This describes me perfectly. I value alone time very highly because it's when I'm alone that I get to be my most creative, my most free, my most productive, and my most thoughtful. The biggest hallmark of my personal introversion is the fact that I often feel emotionally or mentally drained after spending a lot of time in public or with new people, or even with close friends. Sleepovers have never been my favorite thing because by the next morning I am just ready to BE BY MYSELF. Hanging out and going places is fun and awesome, but afterwards I just want to go home and reflect or write about it or take a nap. Sometimes I just don't feel like going to an event because I know all the small talk and "hi how are yous" are going to be taxing and tedious. That being said, I wanted to address some typical assumptions that often accompany the term "introvert", especially in my life, so I decided that I would make a list! Here goes:

I'm an introvert but...

I'm not shy

     I prefer to keep to myself and not interact with other people if I can help it, but I don't go out of my way to avoid it. When someone says hi, I don't find it difficult to respond or carry on a conversation, but I can sometimes come off as disinterested or curt just because I'm okay with not talking and minding my own business.

I'm not quiet

     I'm actually really loud. This is probably the biggest factor that contributes to peoples' disbelief that I'm an introvert. I can talk and talk if the atmosphere is right, and my laugh can sometimes shatter glass.

If you don't know where this gif is from, you need to watch
George of the Jungle RIGHT NOW!!

I'm not mad/sad/mysterious

     Well, sometimes I am. But not as a general rule. If I look mad/sad/mysterious, it's most likely just because I'm in my own little world and would rather NOT engage in conversation, but I'm not gonna shy away if someone confronts me. I will say that I've never been able to categorize myself as "friendly" because of this. I'm never intentionally rude, it's just that I can get lost in my thoughts easily and forget to do the whole "how was your day?" "Thanks for holding the door" stuff. And I mean really, are those things all that necessary? They're pretty much just formalities we've established over time that make people feel bad when they forget to perform them.

I'm not a secret genius/ mad scientist

     I mean I'm smart enough, but the reason I spend time alone is not because I'm working on some secret formula to dominate the world or anything. It's just cuz I like hanging out with myself.

I enjoy spending time with people

     I have plenty of friends (not tons, but I don't want or need tons. A select few is just perfect for me) and I absolutely adore hanging out with them! I love company, I love playdates, I love going out to dinner, I love going places (within reason). I just don't love doing it 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, and I do prefer smaller groups to large groups or crowds.

I'm good (relatively speaking) at social interactions

   Just because social interactions often leave me feeling drained doesn't mean that I'm completely inept at handling them. I can hold a conversation-- though I despise small talk-- and I'm not SUPER awkward (once again, relatively speaking).

I'm not afraid of public speaking or being on stage

    I'm not like a glutton for the spotlight or anything. But I know that I have the skills to stand up and say what I need to say, so I don't stress myself out over being in front of people or remembering speeches. Though I'm a better writer than a speaker, speaking doesn't intimidate me. I often volunteer to speak in group setting because awkward silence and/or watching someone else struggle onstage are more frightening to me than just jumping in and doing the task myself to get it over with.

I have a wide range of interests

    Yes, I do love having my nose buried in a book, which I feel like is the typical image that comes to mind when one thinks about introverts. But I also love writing, coloring, podcasts, music of all kinds, YouTube, TV, movies, painting my nails, fashion, crafting (though I never actually have time to do it).

And so folks, there is no one way to be an introvert! And, anyone who IS an introvert knows just how much fun it is! You never get tired of hanging out with yourself. :)

-VaughnDL