We’re conditioned to be outgoing to be cool, that being brash will make you more popular. So most won’t admit they may be an introvert. This because of the perception of what being an introvert carries, that they’re too shy, a bit aloof, and they don’t like people that much.
But realize introverts just express more from the inside out, rather than blurting out spontaneously reacting to the environment. Introverts are warm loving caring people who are empathetic first.
Yet the stigma exists being an introvert are those who are unsociable, a tad nerdish, and have tendencies to resist or deny themselves of what they want.
You’re beginning to discover you display certain traits of being an introvert yourself. Your personality suggests and complies to be less outgoing, less outer-oriented than once thought.
You Prefer Alone Time
Once you get the opportunity to take a break, you’d rather spend the time catching up on your reading, listening to music, or cruising down the freeway by yourself.
This quiet time is extremely important to get your sense of well-being together, where you generate your best ideas, more than enjoying social gatherings. Your most brilliant thinking occurs when you’re alone.
Although you enjoy meetings and group discussions, but when it comes to developing critical creative solutions, you’d rather take the time alone to work out the details yourself.
What this does is gives you the opportunity to work out the problem, which produces the best results you can be proud of.
You Work Better With Other Independent People
There’s a belief all introverts are quiet, they’re incapable of stepping up and running things or making any macro decisions.
What’s proven is when the conditions are right, they’re capable of being leaders of industry. Their team however needs to be independent thinkers capable of problem solving.
This is the ideal environment where the introverted leader can draw out the best results, and extract the most potential.
This occurs once the group is given a spark, an idea that’s provided by the leader. If they’re incapable of providing this guidance, then what’s needed is someone who’s more extroverted.
You Stay In The Background In Group Settings
This reminds of when you went to school, where there were others who shot their arms in the air once the teacher asked a question, or needed a volunteer.
Extroverts are always ready and eager to please, stand out from the crowd in any academic or social setting.
A sure sign you’re an introvert, is you’re more content to just sit back and allow others to take centre stage, even if you know the solution.
It’s not that introverts are slower thinkers, know less than others, they just don’t have a particular need to stand out like a peacock.
Others Ask For Your Opinion
Most introverts are less than likely to volunteer their opinion or give advice in public settings. They would rather just observe.
It could be a family discussion around the dinner table where they appear aloof, or a business meeting where they look confused. What they do is keep their viewpoints to themselves.
What they do is allow the egotistical noisy extroverts to take control and spin their mouth, as they become annoying.
But since their advice is always highly valued, they’re constantly being asked for their opinion. Their behaviour however, sends cues they’d rather keep their thoughts to themselves.
You Keep To Yourself In Public
Such as wearing headphones on the bus, not observing or caring what others are doing. When you navigate through a busy street, what you avoid is contact of any kind with others.
When wanting to avoid interaction with strangers, you just keep your head down, look blankly in front of you, or read a book.
Now there’s the option of looking at your smartphone, putting on your earphones, even if the screen is blank or the music is turned off.
You Would Rather Text Or Email Than Talk
You don’t reach out voluntarily to your social circles, not because of the fear of rejection, but you have other pressing more important things to do.
If you have a few moments to spare, you won’t initiate a call to gossip, just to pass the time away. You won’t even proactively initiate texts or emails, but just rather respond to them.
You avoid situations or jobs which requires you to engage in such outreach, such as a salesperson. Computer programming is more your thing. You don’t like to be evaluated or be proactive.
By asking someone for something, what you’re doing is running the risk of being told “no,” which you find annoying and demoralizing.
If the request is asynchronous, the turn down might be the same, but at least it allows you to save face, and your self-esteem.
The Advantages Of Being An Introvert
You’re less likely to look ridiculous or idiotic, make less social gaffes, such as suddenly insulting someone whose opinion you don’t like or agree with.
Since you like reflecting on your own thoughts, you’re more less likely to get bored when you’re alone, than someone who constantly needs external stimuli.
The risk you face is others may think you’re too boring or standoffish. So mindfully choosing to be more open in certain situations, can reveal your true personality.
On the other hand, those who are extroverts, who continuously expresses what first comes to their mind, can benefit from practising a little introversion, to insert a filter before reacting.
Drop the ego and see how it feels to not speak first, or have the need to always take charge, or constantly offer your opinion.
What we all need to do is find that ideal balance, which allows us to experience the world in a more equitable perspective.