10 Signs That You’re an Introvert

Many people confuse introversion with shyness when they are not exactly the same thing. Shyness is the fear of people due to insecurity or social anxiety. Introversion is where a person tends to find they get more energy from being alone or in a very small group as opposed to extroversion where a person tends to gain more energy from being in a large crowd.

Because of this misconception about shyness, many people assume that they aren’t introverts when they actually are.

I understand this so well because I am an introvert myself. It’s not that I fear people, but when I’m around too many people for an extended period of time, I feel drained and need some ‘alone time’ to recharge my battery.

Here are 10 signs that you’re an introvert:

1. You gravitate toward extroverts.

Introverts tend to gravitate toward outgoing extroverts who can encourage them to have fun and let their hair down once in a while. In fact, this particular relationship brings balance to both types of people.
As an introvert, I know that I need to be pulled out of my shell sometimes. But I’m also able to teach my extroverted friends the value of spending a quiet night at home from time to time.

2.You like to write your thoughts.

Introverts like to write. In fact, many pursue careers in writing, or they simply enjoy spending their free time writing. For us, it’s a time for fun, self-expression, and self-discovery. Writing gives us time to reflect and allows us to craft our message perfectly.

Introverts also prefer to communicate through text and email ratherthan speaking on the phone or face-to face because it gives us more time and space to clarify our thoughts before putting them into words.

3.Crowds can be very stressful.

You are a‘one-on-one’ kind of person who enjoys having a moremeaningful conversation with another human being, rather than engaging in lots of small talk. Small talk seems awkward and inauthentic to an introvert.

And, if you do have to engage in a lot of small talk in a large crowd for an extended period of time, you feel absolutely exhausted and look forward to going home to re-energize.

In fact, after hanging out for several hours, you might experience something called the “introvert” hangover where your brain seems to stop working and you are no longer able to hold a conversation at all. All you want to do is go somewhere quiet and not have to talk for a while. I know when I becomeover-stimulated by a large crowd, I tend to shut down completely.

You also tend to feel lonelier in a crowd than when you are alone. A large group can make you feel disconnected, especially when there’s a great deal of noise all around you. You crave intimate connections, and they are much more difficult to find in a large crowd.

4. You like doing nothing sometimes.

Extroverts tend to bounce from one activity to another, but introverts see the value in an occasional quiet night at home. For me personally, just simply doing nothing is a way for me to relax and re-charge my battery.

5.You only open your heart to people you trust.

Introverts are extremely careful in choosing who we allow to see our inner soul. In fact, opening up our hearts to others can be downright scary. So, if a person manages to receive this privilege, they are likelyto be very special to us. On the other hand, we are also quick in shutting people out when we feel hurt by them.

6. You really cherish your alone time.

Not everybody likes to be alone. But introverts enjoy it very much and we absolutely need it for our own wellbeing.In our solitude, we are able to reflect inward and tune out the world. This gives us energy and makes us feel invigorated.

When we are alone, we can also focus for longs periods of time. We don’t need anyone to entertain us because we can find a project and work on it forever.

7. You are a good listener.

Introverts are great listeners. We have no problem giving the stage to somebody else and just listening. Listening gives us an opportunity to learn something new or to understand another person better. It’s also our way of showing love and respect.

8. You are never bored.

Whileextroverts tend to look to their surroundings and to other people for stimulation, introverts enjoy living in their heads, their ‘inner world’ where they are constantly working out their dreams, their ideas, and their goals.

We are deep thinkers and we always have a lot of inner dialogue going on to keep us entertained at all times.

9. You are good judge of character.

Introverts are able to take the time to observe the people around them and get to them know them at a deeper level. We pay close attention to body language because we know a person’s words only give us a small picture of who they really are.

10. You are very productive.

An introvert’s alone time is full of brainstorming, planning, and activity. We are always working on strategies to convert our dreams into reality. We can start a project, get into a zone, and just keep going until the job is completely finished. That’s just how our introverted minds work and that’s a great thing.