I am a total extrovert. I love being around people and although I can be shy when meeting new people it only last until the first word is spoken. I can talk for hours to anyone just about and I come home from social functions beaming.
The younger me could only find energy in being with other people, I didn’t really enjoy time spent alone.
As I get older though this is changing.
I have introverted days.
Days where I am happier contemplating my own thoughts, or losing myself in a good book.
I sometimes have introverted weeks.
I am not sad, or cranky, or even tired. I simply want to spend sometime with myself and have very little desire to interact with the outside world.
Some people in my life confuse this and think I must be mad at them, or upset about something, because it is a change from my usual Chatty Cathy self.
But I have learnt the value of being alone.
I find energy in time spent with myself, as much as I gain energy from being with others, some days much more so.
I am proud of my introverted days because I think for the longest time I didn’t like time alone because I didn’t like ME. I am still working on it but for the most part now, I am my own best friend.
None of us are a category – we all sit within a spectrum of behaviors – I’m an introvert who can be the loudest person at a party… I can also be the person sitting in the corner watching the party in a detached manner… none of us are prisoners to the way we, or others, define ourselves! 🙂
Good point John, thanks. I think I used to be though. I was usually the loudest person at the party so even when I didn’t want to be I felt that was my role to play. Now I happier move along the spectrum! And that ease feels really good.