Introvert Alert

I am an introvert. Some things about being an introvert are great. Other things are frustrating and are a struggle.

Thankfully it seems most of my social circle are mostly introverts too. I guess that makes sense that introverts are drawn to other introverts. Hanging around extroverts all the time would just make us tired all that time.

One of the biggest struggles I have is all that surface talk. I can do it for a bit and then I got nothing. Shallow talk is even worse, but then again I don’t like petty conversation to begin with. It’s just hard for me to keep talking about stuff that is going nowhere by the end of it. Some people love that and that is great. However, I cannot even comprehend as to why they would.

I thrive on the internet. Emails, Facebook and chats I am all over. It’s great too that I can see a bunch of updated status on Facebook’s homepage. Don’t have to read all the statuses. I guess it could be counted as surface talk, but sometimes you do get to see a person's true character by what they write in their statuses. I have heard with the internet it has made us communicate less. Well for me it has actually helps me to communicate more. I keep in touch with more people and their lives more than I would if I would not be on it. It has also been great when I have left the country for periods of time and was still able to communicate back home, it sure did help with the home sickness that crept up.

Texting is another new technology I enjoy. Phoning not so much, although I can and do talk on the phone for professional reasons, it’s a lot easier to have a specific reason for a call instead of just going where the conversation takes you. Texting though is great. I am better at expressing myself through typing then talking. I think that might be the introvert in me.

Social settings where I do not know anyone or know anyone very well are the hardest. As an introvert I need down time after certain events, and the above mentioned events with many unknown people are the prevalent ones I need down time after. I just find them socially exhausting. However that being said, I do enjoy my down time as an introvert. I also do find certain events rejuvenating. When I am with people who I know and who know me well, I do not find these exhausting but rather refreshing.

Thankfully there are many advantages to being an introvert and I had to look online to find them. I have been forced to perform in an extroverted world. It forces me to do things I would not ordinary do under preferred circumstances. However doing those things has not changed me to an extrovert nor have extrovert tendencies. I just do those things like I would do a chore. Sometimes you just have to do it regardless if you enjoy it or not. Once the certain task has been performed and I am I able to retreat back I definitely do so.

So introverts out there, just a note of encouragement. It’s okay to be introverted. Don’t feel pressured to have to change. It’s who you are and who God designed you to be. Both introverts and extroverts are needed in this world…now if only we could work together better.