Life as an Introvert
Hello, everyone. Today, I want to talk about something a little bit personal. It’s being an introvert. I call it 'surviving the introvert nature.’ Life as an introvert can be very challenging especially when one grows up in the midst of extroverts and hyperactives. The introvert may find it difficult to keep up with all the activities buzzing around, and it can very exhausting. It has its perks through. I remember back in secondary school, I was that child who sat on her desk and minded her business. You would never catch me disturbing others. Then one day, I woke up with a lot of energy. I went to school feeling a bit high and I made a lot of noise in class. When the teacher on duty came and asked us to identify the culprits, all my partners in crime were mentioned except me. I mean, I don’t talk remember? Hahaha. It was a fun day.
The downside of it is when you happen to be smart. You get dragged into almost every quiz going on in school. Every teacher assumes you are focused and therefore can handle it. Another thing is that people may think you are a snob because you don’t talk to everyone the way they do. It gets worse if you have social anxiety. Others just assume you are shy.
An introvert by definition is a person who is predominantly concerned with his own thoughts and feelings rather than external things. Introverts possess characteristics seen as shy, reticent, and are often assumed to be self-centered.
Introverts are people holding a treasure that is worth discovering. They are not people who hate people, but they prefer to be alone rather than to be in the crowd surrounded.
I’ll share a few tips on how to live and survive as an introvert. This is from a personal perspective. They work for me alright, and they just might work for you too.
Be comfortable in your own skin.
The first step is accepting that you are as normal as the next person. I’ve met a few people who believe that something is wrong with them because they prefer quiet and darker places. Being an introvert doesn’t equal having a disease so you are just fine. Accepting the way you are goes a long way in boosting your confidence and interaction with people. Being quiet can be a gift. You pick up almost everything going on around you.
Identify the things you love and do them.
For me, I love reading, writing, music amongst other things. I can read all day and not feel weird or out of place. Find that thing which makes your heart beat faster. It could be a sport. Yoga is beautiful for the introvert mind. It helps you relax and it also increases your flexibility. Make yourself happy by engaging in what make you most comfortable.
Don’t try too hard.
I understand the need to impress especially when a friend invites you to a gathering or a party. All you have to do is find your comfortable spot and blend in. It’s okay to want to disappear after the first hour. Finding the dynamic kind of helps you through it. Trying to go with everything only makes you more exhausted. What I usually do is find the part where the conversation interests me. You can still find a quiet spot where you can stay and observe everything. You may not be life of the party but you won’t ruin it either. Tune out if you can’t help it. Also know when to leave. You’ll be fine in the end.
Forget about the label.
Most times, tags make us into the person we are. Forget that you are an introvert for a moment and live your life. We never knew the name as children yet we were fine. Speak your own truth and be yourself. Our brains have this weird way of functioning with tags. You are an introvert, granted. That doesn’t mean you have to act like the next person in order to be accepted. You are your own person. Come out of the box and be you.
Don’t forget to breathe.
Like I said, it’s exhausting. An introvert is almost always morally self sufficient. You can be indoors for weeks and not feel like something is missing. When you eventually go out and try to make others happy, remember to breathe. Know your limits. You don’t want to cross your breaking point.
It may interest you to know that people like Bill Gates and Mark Zukerberg are introverts. They are normal people changing the world. You can do same. All you have to do is identify yourself and live by your rules. Remember to drink coffee. Write too.
What are your thoughts?
At some point it dawned on me that I wasn't introverted because I was somehow "shy" but because most people say very boring things! I learnt to speak because I thought adults had interesting things to say; then I discover they talk about cars and taxes and sport and... I kept fiddling with the dial but it was either static or dull. ;-)
I then discovered that I could prod them with deeply awkward questions! they either ran away or opened up. fun!
This excites me. And yeah, you're right. Most often than not, people don't have interesting NH conversations going. You just see them afar off and it looks as if it is interesting.
I've noticed that when real discussions pop up, they laugh it off. Why so serious, right?
Lol.
Hahahaha.
Of course they will run away, they have nothing to say after all. It's all about the noise to them. The ones who open up are the smart ones who also read.
Deep conversation is way to scare them off and have your peace.
I'm the morally self-sufficient who just happen to have his locus of control/whim outside instead of inside.
I admire people who have theirs and always seem to be in charge of their feelings.
I dont have such.
Is it there? Hell yeah. I always feel it, somewhere down there.
But real life is always spinning it around, over and over again.
It's messed up.
Hey. Hang in there. You'll be fine.
HB pencil, If you know what I mean.
of course! dont make it my nick tho :P
Lol. HB pencil.
flags him
Great tips. As an introvert....well i dont like to call myself that because I'm suspectible to many moods, but predominatly I'm introverted. I've lived by some of these tips and well my life isnt so bad.
The most important thing is to be confortable with who you are regardless of your temperament.
Be you. That's all.
I love the first tip.
Be comfortable with yourself. You have to look at yourself as a normal person with the extroverts and co. You are not different from them.
We are both beings and thus do not let what they say get to you.
@bigwaves
Exactly. Thanks for reading.
The me they think they know: Extroverted, Open, blah blah blah.
Me: meh.
Hahaha. See your life outside.
When you seldom join in on the noise, they think you're inferior as an introvert. Growing up, I bought it. I felt I should have had something to say, but I didn't. So I ended up trying to say something even if it made no sense. Got into a few troubles.
Being an introvert doesn't mean one is less active in anyway as some people tend to think. I did sports a few times in school. And yeah, that part where you mentioned that you get dragged into things simply because they think you're focused and can handle it, I get it too at times.
It's simply you being you regardless of anyone else. No show offs. They do them, you do you.
Introverts are the realests.
I never felt out of place growing up. I knew it was me and I just didn't belong to the group. It helped me make 'real' friends.