Introvert or Extrovert?

Have you ever wondered whether you're an introvert or extrovert? Or have you found people commenting that you are either one? These terms have been used to brand people so frequently, it seems to give the earlier a negative annotation. In today's society, it seems to have become a crime to be an introvert; while being an extrovert earns you brownie points.

It was all peaceful at home, until my mum came home, and started talking about everything and nothing. I started to Google 'People Who Hate Noise' (aka me), and the search results came up with the topic of Introvert. What does it mean to be an introvert? Often, they are stereotyped to be 'shy' and 'quiet'. I like how Carl wrote in his blog post, 10 Myths About Introverts. He gave a personal take (I guess he's an introvert?), even including a personal FAQ.

I find the following myths particularly relevant for me. So people who (remotely) know me, I guess this answers you as to some of my less-than-norm behaviour at times!

Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk. This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.

Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people. On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.

Myth #7 – Introverts are weird. Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.

Through his blog post, I found a psychotherapist, Marti Olsen Laney, who authored the book 'The Introvert Advantage'. You can read a synopsis of her book at Amazon.

A self-professed introvert herself, Marti Olsen Laney debunks the Introvert Stereotype through her book. By titling it 'The Introvert Advantage', she is definitely challenging society's mainstream view about the typical introvert. I will definitely be getting my hands on this book!

All you introverts out there, don't lose heart. You are not weird, you are just special, and can only be found 1 in 4 people!