Yep, my day. All day. It’s World Introvert Day. Why today, you may ask. Because it’s the first day after a long, exhausting string of holidays, celebrations, get-togethers, etc. All the things we introverts find exhausting but that, to a large degree, are unavoidable. (This year I had a good excuse — a truly nasty cold.)
Of course, this may aversion as much as introversion. I go to ground sometime around Halloween and emerge sometime in January. That also coincides with shorter, colder winter days and possible SAD, so who knows.
Anyway, yay me — er, us — the 50% or so of the population that is introverted to some degree. We’re all on a spectrum of introvert-to-extrovert and the dividing line is at about the halfway mark. But then you throw in ambiverts and omniverts, and it gets complicated.
Nevertheless, here’s to introverts everywhere.
“Quiet people have the loudest minds.”
~ Stephen Hawking
People think I’m an extrovert. I’m not. But then, they NEVER, without exception, correctly guess my [laughs behind hand] star sign.
Must be good at deception.
I like those how-tos !!! 🙂
I’d have guessed you’re an extrovert. But of course I could only base that on your comments — written communication — and that’s a favorite with introverts. As I recall, you and I are both Aries types, and I don’t see myself in any of the descriptions I just scanned.
Sometimes people nowadays mistake me for being mildly extroverted, but I am sure I was an introvert from birth. But after many years of learning, maturing and self-work I usually now describe myself as a recovering introvert. I’m not sure if I coined the term, but I don’t think I’ve heard it before googling it. But now that you mention ambivert, I think I probably am one.
I was always an introvert who wanted to be more extroverted but didn’t know how. It was the social interaction portion of my personality that I wanted to improve. I enjoyed being around people as long as I didn’t have to interact too much with them. I tend to believe it was as much a lack of knowing how to maintain a conversation with someone when I didn’t have anything to talk about that was the sticking point. I could converse if I knew what I was talking about. That and being highly self-conscious among people I didn’t know well combined to make me feel like an outcast.
Oh, and I think you meant omnivert, not ombivert. There are only 144 entries for ombivert on Google, so I suspect they are just misspellings or typos.
Yep, you caught my typo and I corrected it. Thank you.
I’ve never had reason to think I might border on being an extrovert. Perhaps your work has required more extroverted behavior? Except for a (very) brief stint as a bank teller, my editorial work kept me in the background and that’s where I’ve always preferred being. I complicate things by also being very shy; shyness is not the same as introversion. But it makes me very content being a loner with a dog and a cat for company.
My work life has definitely required me to be more socially interactive. I went from being an engineering major to a journalism major. I was forced to learn to talk to people to get information! Later I ended up as a PR writer, which was sometimes enjoyable, depending on the situation, and mostly because I wasn’t in the “promoting” end of that work. My onetime goal was to be a science writer, which I sort of did in the PR field.
I’ve also worked in retail sales, customer service and call centers, which I mostly did not like, but they paid the bills. Ultimately, all the things dragging me out of my comfort zone did expand the zone significantly, so that when the pressure was off, I contracted less into my shell than I would have otherwise. I consider that an improvement. However, the 12 rules on your “How to care for an introvert” chart certainly still do fit me quite well! And I did take the Myers-Briggs test once, though I can’t remember my results . . .
Happy New Year Pied! Love this post. Of course I am also an introvert.
INFP on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test, and a Gemini male. I’m lucky to have any people in my life at all.
Count your blessing if you’re a definite type. I normally test as INFJ, but with strong leanings toward INTJ. I’m constantly torn by the Feeling vs Thinking conundrum. Analysis paralysis. Ugh.
While primarily an ambivert, I find two types of fellow humans; those who boldly HEADLINE, and those who bury the lede. Deciphering that, I’ve worked hard at developing the personality of a paper cup. (A nod to Raymond Chandler)
LOL. A paper cup, eh? Seems to me an ambivert is just a well-balanced individual. Enviable, I’d say.
Yay for us!!! FYI – heard the big, flashy, noisy party – including icebreakers – for our W.I. Day celebration is canceled… no RSVPs were received. (Saw that on one of the Introvert or HSP sites & had to borrow it)
But I was so looking forward to our big bash — NOT!
I’m happily an introvert, although society seems to think I can be cured. In fact, I think we introverts are badly needed in this world to counteract all the noise and aggressive behavior.
I agree with you. We introverts don’t need or want to be “cured.” We’re fine the way we are. And yes, somebody has to stand back and give some calm, objective thought to what’s going on the world — or even just standing back instead of fanning the flames.
I remember reading (maybe in Susan Cain’s book Quiet?) that most bloggers are introverts and, from my very unscientific observations, I agree. We are much better with written communication. I love the chart about caring for introverts!
Janis, I suspect your unscientific observations are pretty accurate, and as you mentioned, we prefer the written word, so we’re likely avid readers as well as writers. I don’t much like phoning people, but I have no problem texting! However, in my many jobs over the years talking to people on the phone was often a primary task. I once estimated that I have probably talked to something like 10,000 people on the phone over the years, most of whom I really didn’t want to talk to!
I’m with you on the phone thing. I hate it, even for the simplest things.
. . . One of several reasons I almost never dated in high school. Or college. That, and the shy, introvert thing.
That figures. I recently read that most writers are introverts. I keep meaning to read “Quiet” but haven’t gotten around to it. I’d rather write. Glad you like the chart. It’s a favorite of mine.
I’m an introvert! Most of the time.
I can believe it! With all the projects you always have going, it’s a wonder you ever find time to talk to anyone.
I don’t spend much time talking. I spend a lot of time doing things.
I’ve noticed!
I’m not sure what kind of Vert I am, but not an extrovert. But I do appreciate the positive virtues of introverts that you justifiably point out.
I think we can agree that your Vertness works well for you and that’s all that matters.