- You hate people-actually, I really like people, I’m just specific about the people that I spend my time and energy on.
- You can’t do presentations or public speak-I’m the leader of the debate team and spent my childhood competing for public speaking. Try again.
- You think you’re above most people – no. just, no.
- You’re too quiet-I spend a lot of time in my head, wrapped around my own brain. My mind is so incredibly loud, I simply don’t feel it’s necessary to share all of it with the world. This can also stem into “why don’t you talk more?”, a question I’ve been dealing with since childhood and only have one good answer to; Because I really don’t feel the need
- All people leave you exhausted-Actually, people can fall on a bit of a spectrum, with some requiring greater amounts of energy and others requiring next to none
- You can’t be gregarious if you’re introverted-Actually, we spend our energy by being with other people. Though we do need to retreat, we also need to spend, otherwise, you feel jittery and high strung
- You’re socially awkward-Though Introverts tend to have a high distaste for meaningless conversation and pointless small talk, we can actually be remarkably charming when we’re with other people
- You’d rather be in your pajamas at home on a Saturday night instead of out with friends-Strangely enough, even if you’re really busy at work or school, you may not feel exhausted once Saturday rolls around, and you may actually have extra energy to spend. Though staying at home while your friends of out is common to an introvert, it doesn’t mean that we don’t want to be included. We can monitor our own energy levels, so don’t worry!
- You hate loud spaces – Sometimes, when you have energy, loud spaces can be fun! it’s when introverts feel drained that parties and large events can be miserable for introverts
- If we’re at a party, you can typically find us petting whatever animal is there-Honestly, I can’t fight this, It doesn’t matter if you have a dog or a gecko, I’m more likely to hang out with your pet than with you.
Honestly, I love being an Introvert. It’s difficult at times, and frustrating as hell, but it’s become a part of my identity, and it’s nice to feel as though you belong to a community. It’s also nice to understand how to handle the emotional exhaustion that tends to overtake introverts. Also, the jokes aren’t all that bad.
If you’re still interested, I recommend doing more research, and reading, but a really good place to start is with Susan Cain’s The Power of Introverts, or with her book, Quiet.
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