Why I Wholeheartedly Love Being An Introvert

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I am an introvert.

It’s a spectrum, but I at least know I am significantly introverted. I don’t mind spending time alone and even enjoy it. Sometimes, in group settings, I don’t say what’s on my mind because someone else is speaking louder. I don’t want to shout over other people because it takes a lot of energy. I like to think and observe.

I didn’t think of myself as an introvert growing up because I treated it like it was a negative term. I thought introverts were boring people who never wanted to leave their bedrooms or talk to anyone else. But now, I realize that introversion is related to internal feelings and emotions. A more accurate way to characterize an introvert is a person who likes to talk to smaller groups of people and prefers to partake in slower paced activities. I’d rather engage in a quality conversation with some close friends than be surrounded by a lot of people I don’t know. For example, I don’t think I’ll ever willingly attend a sporting event. However, I love going to museums and libraries.

Although I used to not even call myself one, nowadays, I’m happy to be an introvert. I think that it is part of why I am able to write better than others. Because I don’t feel the need to interact with others all the time, I’m okay with spending time alone. This gives me the opportunity to think. People have told me that writing is difficult, but to me, it’s just an expression of oneself. I think that the key to writing well is knowing yourself. You must know what you feel and why you feel the way you do – and a great way to get to know yourself is to be okay with spending time by yourself.

Furthermore, I believe that being an introvert has made my life more fulfilling. I think I gain more from small group settings. To me, it’s a matter of quality over quantity. Conversations work better with just a few people. They feel less exhausting. When the group size is smaller, I feel that the connections are stronger. Everyone, including myself, can have more time to speak.

I also think that being an introvert has made me more willing to listen to others. I like hearing what others have to say and taking it into consideration. I love to hear people’s personal stories. I like considering various viewpoints, even if I don’t agree with them. I’ve gained a lot of insight this way.

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to change the fact that I am an introvert. It’s a part of who I am. I’m pretty sure I was born this way. So, the best thing I can do about it is accept this part of me and be positive about myself as a person. Just like it’s not productive to dwell on physical characteristics about ourselves that we cannot change, we shouldn’t do the same with internal traits that are a part of us, either.