INTROVERTED or EXTROVERTED
“Introvert”. “Extrovert”. You’ve undoubtedly heard both of these terms at least a handful of times throughout your life. The former usually brings to mind words like “shy”, “reserved”, “socially anxious/awkward”, sometimes even “antisocial”. The latter however usually brings to mind words like “outgoing”, “social”, “friendly”, and “expressive”. But what do these words actually mean, and what does it mean to be introverted or extroverted?
“Introvert” literally just means “someone who is energized or ‘recharged’ by spending time alone”. Unfortunately, the word tends to carry a negative connotation, causing some people to assume that all introverts are shy, asocial/antisocial, and/or aren’t interested in maintaining a social life. Quite the contrary, most introverts lead fulfilling social lives, but just choose to do so with a smaller group of very close friends, rather than a large group of acquaintances. Introverted people definitely need their alone time to “recharge” after social interactions, but they are fully capable of being outgoing and exciting when with the right person or people. Introverts tend to put more sentiment into their interpersonal relationships, because they have fewer of them, but being the thinkers that they are, they choose those close friends carefully. Being more of a thinker also causes introverts to be more “laid back” than the “life of the party” at social gatherings, because they prefer to observe the situation at hand and think, before acting or speaking. Since introverts are always analyzing and thinking, the longer they have to be invested in a social interaction, the more draining it is, and will likely require an extended amount of alone “recharge” time.
“Extrovert” on the other hand, is “someone who is energized by spending time with others”. This isn’t to say they don’t value their alone time, but rather that more often than not, they’d prefer to be with a larger group of people than in a smaller group or by themselves. Extroverts get most, if not all, of their energy from being around and communicating with others. Because of this, extroverts often have several broad interests and hobbies that give them a chance to connect with other people. Extroverts are typically more outgoing and expressive, and are therefore seen as more friendly or sociable, hence the more positive connotation. Extroverted individuals tend to be more “do-er”s than thinkers, and will often act or speak without entirely thinking it through, causing them to be far more spontaneous than introverts. If you enjoy speaking and being the center of attention, and prefer working or hanging out in larger groups as opposed to smaller groups, you’re probably an extrovert.
Then you have “ambivert”,which just means a relatively balanced combination of introversion and extroversion, the category majority of people fall into. Maybe you’re more introverted in certain situations or with certain people, and more extroverted with others. Introversion and extroversion are anything but “black and white”, but rather a sliding scale, where everyone is different. Both introversion and extroversion have their perceived “pros” and “cons”, but it’s important to remember that while we may all be different, we’re still equal. There’s no “better” personality type, and there’s no reason to feel ashamed or embarrassed if you feel you’re “too” introverted or extroverted. Instead, embrace the qualities of your personality type, it’s part of what makes you who you are. Personally, I’m mostly introverted with the occasional extroverted tendencies. Which of these 3 categories fits you most? Are you more of an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert? Feel free to share in the comments!
“(photo credit: https://www.fastcompany.com/3016031/are-you-an-introvert-or-an-extrovert-and-what-it-means-for-your-career)”
I’m excited to have Alex, my 21 year old granddaughter, adding her wisdom in Alex Articles!
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Love it, Martha! Thanks for sharing!
Have a wonderful day!
Gaétane
Thanks Gaetane, I’m quite proud of my granddaughter. She knows how to put words together!
Martha I have tested several times with the personality tests I land on either side INTJ or ENTJ…I believe I developed the ENTJ by by being put in spotlight social situations at an early age! So I enjoyed reading your story…I however believe Introverts should challenge themselves as well as Extroverts should seek more introversion…flexibility is it’s own reward! Lol!
I’m a mixture of both Katherine! I think it depends on certain situations for some people to know what side they are on. Thanks for visiting.
Love this topic. I tend to be both depending on the conditions. When I write, I’m very much an introvert. When I present to any size group, totally an extrovert.
In general, I have my moments of both. Lots of people assume I am only an extrovert, but nothing could be further from the truth.
After I read Alex’s article, I came to the conclusion that I am a mixture of both also Kathleen. I was quite impressed with her blog but then again, I’m impressed with everything Alex does. Thanks for stopping by.
I tend to view myself as an Introvert and see my husband as an extrovert, I think that helps us work better as a couple. I also agree that I am not always intorverted in all situations.
I’m just the opposite of you Lori. While I tend to be more of an extrovert, my hubby is an introvert. But there are other times I think we are both ambivert. Whatever works, is fine with me! Thanks for visiting Alex’s article.
I love your visuals for your post, and how to respect both types of individuals 🙂
Thanks Morgan from my grand daughter Alex. This is her 2nd blog she has written and I was very impressed. Thanks for visiting.
I am a combination of introvert and extrovert but not an ambivert. 🙂 I think extroverts also have their fair share of negative connotations.
Hi, Martha!
Hi Bing and Alex says thanks for the comments. I’m looking forward to her next week’s blog!
Despite being a bit shy, I am actually an extrovert. I need to be around others to get energy. I need my outside world to feel alive. Being alone with my own thoughts doesn’t do much for me. The personality tests that I’ve done type me as “ESFP.” I am happy about embracing these traits that make me who I am.
It seems that the more people that we are surrounded by, the more energy is transmitted. Thanks for visiting Alice, I’m looking forward to Alex’s next blog.
I’m an introvert. Spending time with others in a social context always drains me by the end of the event. I like alone time. I’m content with my own company.
You sound like how my granddaughter feels Patricia. It’s interesting to read the comments on this topic. Thanks for visiting.
I think I’m ambivert looks you are also the same cheers.
Seems we have a lot in common Bushra. I’m just a happy go lucky kid, well a 68 year old kid. LOL
I have learnt a lot from this article and now I know which category I belong to.
Glad you were able to learn which category you are Sydney! Thanks for visiting.
This is great! My husband and I are polar opposites and for some reason it works out great. These are all dead on explanations. If I try to drag him out, he’s like a unhappy toddler lol.
That’s about how my husband and I are too Kris! I like your description of the unhappy toddler. LOL Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Martha!
I really enjoyed reading your post! Thanks for sharing! I know that I am an extroverted person! Unfortunately, I think I have no patience with introverted people.
Wishing you a lot of success for the future!
Cheers,
Balsam
Thanks Balsam, I’m excited to have my granddaughter be writing her Alex Articles! This post get many great comments. Thanks for stopping by.
That’s a good read and a good test. Thanks for the information!
Thanks for stopping by Abe!
Great tips! This is an important topic. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for visiting Echoesofhervoice, I was impressed on visuals that Alex used in her blog. Can’t wait to see what her next one will be about!