I am a sucker for personality tests. I love them. I like to find out how I deal with conflict, how I receive love, how I operate and who I am. I recently stumbled upon two great and interesting articles on personality.
First of all, I am an introvert. Always have. When I was little, I was painfully shy towards adults and just wanted to be with my mommy. I found this article, about the myths of introverts. They are all true!
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.
(yep, I hate extended periods of small talk, I'll say something when I feel the need.)
Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.
(Don't worry, I won't cower from you, I just don't need to be around people all the time.)
Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.
(A few months ago, my roommate started me in "appropriate response" training. Evidently I don't always say the appropriate thing. Situation: oh, your cat just died! My response: well, you can always get another one! Appropriate response: oh, I'm so sorry. That's so sad! Can I say a few words at the burial? I loved Fluffy.)
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.
(I have gone to several weddings this year...they are all friends since middle school or before. How's that for loyalty?)
Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.
(yeah, also true. I like being at home, it's cosy!)
Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.
(Until the time I started kindergarten, I was by myself while my siblings were at school. Okay, Mom was there, but mostly I just remember playing with my barbies and stuffed animals and running around in the fruit trees in the yard...which probably explains when I'm comfortable being alone and concocting amazing fantasies that will never be real life.)
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.
(Okay, sometimes I follow the crowd, but mostly I just do what I want to do! And this also comes from my wanting to live in 1800s England.)
Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.
(Just ask Kayla. I have to ask her to repeat herself on a fairly regular basis because I'm just not paying attention to her. As stated above, my unrealistic fantasies are much more exciting.)
Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.
(I think this statement is the one I agree with most of all. I have found that the more one person is talking to me, the less I talk back. Also, "Introverts typically relax at home or in nature..." Yep. That's me. Sorry if that's boring. You can come over and relax with me.)
Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
A world without Introverts would be a world with few scientists, musicians, artists, poets, filmmakers, doctors, mathematicians, writers, and philosophers. That being said, there are still plenty of techniques an Extrovert can learn in order to interact with Introverts. (Yes, I reversed these two terms on purpose to show you how biased our society is.) Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.
(So evidently, I was a smart kid to begin with, if I was an introvert since toddler days.)
(if you would like to read the whole article, which is just an intro and conclusion, you can find it here.)
So what are you? Introvert like me? Or an Extrovert? The next article is a color analysis article, and it's fun to take and got me to a T. I'll be posting my results and a link to the quiz in a few days!
