Introverts Of the World Unite…Quietly.

I’m an introvert. I always suspected it.

If I ever mentioned it, people laughed. Because (as several lovely folk have put it), I really love a chat. And this is also true. I think you can be an introvert, and still love other people.

I read this definition of introverts on the Flying Solo website in a piece by David Crocker and it rang very true for me. It’s from a book by Susan Cain called Quiet: The Power Of Introverts.

“Extroverts are energised by being around other people, while an introvert is drained by it. Indeed, introverts are energised by being alone.”

It goes on to say that introverts:

Avoid phone calls (they prefer to email or text)
Don’t enjoy meetings
Think of answers to questions five minutes after the conversation has moved on
Don’t answer the phone unless they can see who it is
They love working from home. Ka..Ching!!!

Otherwise known as the story of my life.

I am terrible at ringing people. Even the ones I love. Which isn’t fair. And I’m sorry. At least now I know why.

I used to struggle in all meetings, and especially those requiring quick ideas and on the spot answers (ie. any input at all), way back when I had my other job in my other life. My mind goes blank. I have to go away and hide and only then does it come up with all sorts of stuff.

And I cannot tell you how much I love walking into the quiet house after the school drop off. The best days are the ones where I can just stay there all day. Curled up in my burrow, looking at the outside world through my computer screen instead of living it.

Sounds a bit sad when you put it like that.

But I love a good party, love having people over, love going out. I just need a bit of quiet time afterwards to recharge.

The kids like to recharge too, often while sitting on me or near me. Maybe I’m like their electrical plug. There is one sitting on the floor next to me right now. Pretending not to be there so she doesn’t get banned from the study for talking. Just being close.

He’s what Peter Crocker from Flying Solo said:

“Cain goes to great lengths to explain that she loves extroverts – indeed she married one – and that teamwork, charisma and collaboration are all very important in business.

However, in her book she argues that modern society undervalues introverts dramatically and that our schools and work places are biased towards extroverts and collaboration, despite more than one third of people identifying as introvert.”

One third! That’s a lot of people who like ‘me’ time, having daily battles with our internal recluse.

So when I mentioned the article to a few friends, I was not surprised that many (who seem very social on the surface), identified with the article, and the traits of an introvert.

We must all unite. But not for long, because we’ll get twitchy and need to go off by ourselves for a bit…

Is this you? Do you struggle being social when you’d rather be alone? Especially at this time of year?

99 Comments

- - mom443421 said
  - 31 Dec 2023
    9:13 am
I feel like I’m an ambivert with a strong lean toward introvert! I love my alone time. My extrovert hubby finds it hard to understand!

- - mom93821 said
  - 29 Jan 2015
    12:40 pm
Thanks for sharing this article; such a good read.

- - mom94125 said
  - 09 Jan 2015
    9:51 pm
lol this is a great article, i think that i must be somewhere in the middle

- - skbou said
  - 19 Jul 2014
    5:21 pm
I was just talking about this with my cousin yesterday! I absolutely love the idea of having a busy lifestyle, of going out with friends and attending countless events, but after just one week of this type of thing I feel emotionally exhausted and wonder “what have I done?” ….I need a couple of weeks of my own company & that of my family only, that I worry that people might see me as rude.

- - eestigirl said
  - 28 Jun 2014
    8:22 pm
So you love a chat, but just not on the phone? How does that make you an introvert. Perhaps a bit of over diagnosis in your case. You don’t sound inwardly focused at all : )

- - rachaelchara said
  - 24 Jun 2014
    5:03 pm
Interesting reading. I am a bit of both. Mainly introvert I would say.

- - 3timesamum said
  - 17 Jun 2014
    7:51 pm
Sounds a bit general and sweeping in it’s ideas on introverts.

- - catgrrl3 said
  - 27 May 2014
    3:46 pm
it seems I would be classified as an introvert

- - mom57522 said
  - 23 May 2014
    1:50 pm
I to like me time.

- - christial said
  - 20 May 2014
    10:17 pm
I am an introvert! I always knew it! 🙂

- - megsy99 said
  - 20 May 2014
    9:37 pm
OMG this is me to a tee. I always text or email even clients, i hate them calling me all day haha

- - kazh said
  - 17 May 2014
    3:11 pm
Once during a psych course I had to do a quiz to determine whether I was an introvert or extrovert. When the instructor said ‘Raise your hand if you are severely introverted’ my hand stayed down. I wonder if I was the only severe introvert in that class, or if we were all just too shy to raise our hands.

- - rachaelchara said
  - 11 May 2014
    8:58 pm
This was very interesting reading. I think I am a bit of both introvert and extrovert.

- - mle00 said
  - 30 Mar 2014
    1:59 am
I can completely identify with this, thanks for sharing. we live in a society who tends to judge success by the amount of ‘noise’ we create, and how much of ourselves we put out on display

- - shazzbot said
  - 24 Mar 2014
    9:03 am
Great read, thanks for sharing this article

- - angel_mon said
  - 07 Feb 2014
    1:36 am
can an extrovert become an introvert i wonder?
- ginoula5 replied
  
  21 Aug 2014 , 2:13 pm
  interesting, I wonder that myself, anyone?
- - vikram77 said
  - 11 Jan 2014
    5:07 am
Thanks for sharing this great article.

- - maurya said
  - 10 Jan 2014
    4:40 pm
I can definately identify with being an introvert. I do prefer my own space however like u I still enjoy friends and parties. I think I should look into this more as I’m quite intrigued.I believe I have a good balance. By I think the next gen is going to have a few problems with social media and texting they won’t know how to act in real life face to face meetings if any sort

- - ljsalomon said
  - 03 Jan 2014
    4:01 pm
Enjoyed reading – thanks for sharing.

- - misschriss said
  - 30 Dec 2013
    11:37 pm
I can definately identify with being an introvert. I do prefer my own space however like u I still enjoy friends and parties. I think I should look into this more as I’m quite intrigued.