What on Earth is an Introvert?



A couple of days ago, during a personal chat with a close friend there was a point where they described me as a bit of an Introvert. I gave a little smile and shrugged it off but didn't really think about it properly until later that night, when I ended up asking myself 'What on Earth is an introvert anyway?'. Several cups of coffee and a little research later I realised that this word actually perfectly applied to me. The word introvert is kinda perceived to be a negative term reserved for a shy, reticent person but there is so much more to it than that. I spent so long thinking that something was wrong with me or that I was some kind of weird child as I tended to shy away from some social situations and sometimes actually rather enjoyed spending time in my own company, but in fact a study shows that 60% of the 'gifted population' are considered to be introverts and there are plenty of positives which I didn't even think about until looking into it. There are apparently several different signs of telling that you are an introvert, some of which you may not even realise you do, so I was really excited to share my findings and interested to find out if there are any fellow introverts out there;


You need time to yourself
Do you ever get that overwhelming and stressful feeling after completing a lot of social activities? One of the biggest attributes of an introvert, which came up again and again, is that we need time alone to 'recharge our batteries' and collect our thoughts. Also when you have a hectic day socialising in a busy environment you tend to start feeling tired and zoning out into your own little world. This is because introverts get this need to go to their quiet place and recharge their minds. I really enjoy socialising and meeting friends but when I have some free time, I usually prefer to spend it relaxing and reading a book, blogging or listening to music rather than going out.

You love to write
Introverts tend to be better at communicating in the form of writing than in person, which is why I think that I enjoy blogging so much. Also you would rather come up with creative ideas and work out problems by yourself rather than as part of a group, this allows you to give your mind some time to reflect on a problem using your original thoughts. You may be surprised to learn that JK Rowling, one of the most successful authors ever, is apparently a self confessed introvert!


You often wear headphones in public
Whether you are making your way through a crowded shopping centre or walking down the street, this is the typical way to avoid conversation in a social situation with strangers and also acts as a protective barrier to hide behind making you feel a lot less overwhelmed and claustrophobic when out and about and surrounded by people... I find that music fills me with a lot more confidence in public too, so I no longer walk along the street with my head down trying to make myself feel as small and unnoticed as possible, but instead keep my head held high, making eye contact without feeling nervous and most importantly it helps me to keep a smile on my face.


You sometimes feel alone in a crowd
This one is a little hard to explain, but do you ever find yourself feeling isolated alone even though you are surrounded by people in the middle of a crowd? Don't get me wrong, I love to socialise and hang around with my friends but sometimes you tend to feel like you don't really belong at a group gathering or social activity, especially with a group of strangers but occasionally even when that is not the case and involves people that you are good friends with. Also, although I love meeting new people, there are times where I just feel a lot more comfortable spending time at a small get together with people that I am already friends with.


You are easily distracted
Introverts tend to become easily overwhelmed and distracted by busy environments, the opposite to an extrovert who would thrive on high levels of stimulation. This makes revision such a pain considering any little disturbance will completely put me off. I think this is the reason why I generally much prefer to be in quieter and more peaceful environment, such as the countryside or by the sea where I can get lost in my own thoughts than in busy, stressful environments such as the middle of a crowded city.


You find yourself attracted to extroverts
Opposites really do attract, which is why you will often find yourself befriending or even being more attracted to outgoing people who encourage you to actually like to have some fun take life a bit less seriously which, in my opinion, is the best sort of people to hang around with.


You think. A LOT.
The downside to having an absolutely over-active mind is that late at night seems to be the ideal time for my brain to suddenly come to life and want to re-evaluate my entire life and worry about absolutely everything, which really doesn't help when you're trying to catch some z's! On the up side, Introverts tend to be more creative thinkers and come up with amazing and original ideas, leading to forward thinking, planning ahead so that everything runs smoothly and generally asking more questions about life.

 Introverts tend to absolutely love thought provoking books and movies, which most definitely applies to me. I am a complete movie addict and love nothing more than getting lost in a good book which transports you to this whole other world. The thing I love most about books and movies is that they can make you feel like you are part of the story, whether you are a superhero out saving the world or just a little refugee caught in the middle of world war II, it helps to forget about the stresses and worries of your own life for a while.


So, next time you end up catching yourself doing any of these things just think that being an Introvert can sometimes be a positive characteristic trait and remember that you are most definitely not alone! 


3 comments

Sarah Bristow said...

I love your blog! You write some really interesting posts. I have always thought myself as an introvert. Don't get me wrong, I love socialising and spending time with my friends but I really do need time on my own to just think. I totally get the whole feeling alone in the crowd sometimes! And over thinking - definitely. I love just going somewhere by myself with my camera and being creative - there are definitely positives of being an introvert :)


Sarah x || www.whatsasssays.com

James Bickle said...

Thank you so much, I just try to write about different little things and hope that other people are interested in reading them. I am exactly the same, it just gets a little overwhelming when you don't get that alone time to switch off and relax after a busy day of socialising. I think crowds just make you feel a lot more alone than you actually are just by being surrounded by people that you don't know, and over thinking and worrying about the smallest things is literally the bane of my life. I find that one of the best things about blogging is just being able to sit down and get lost in your own little world of writing and photography! Thank you for your comment :-)

Sinead @ Dreaming Again said...

Love this, I hate how being an introvert can be seen as a negative thing! it takes all kind of people to make the world! I am definitely an introvert. The points that apply to me the most are - I need time to myself, I feel alone in a crowd and I overthink! 100% me haha


Sinead | sineaddreamingagain.blogspot.ie

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