What do you think of when you hear the word introvert? I'm going to pretend to read your mind (that would be pretty impressive), and assume that you consider being an introvert a negative thing. I identify as an introvert, and I'm here to tell you why that is not necessarily a bad thing.
I'm going to start this post by saying that I'm 23, and I'm certainly not really an expert on anything at this point. But with that being said, I've always been an introvert. It's who I am, and I can remember so many instances in my 23 years of life when I tried to change that or wished I wasn't. The thing is that at the end of the day, you are who you are. Sure we can change and grow. That's normal and that's great. But there is also something to be said about how powerful it can be to embrace who you truly are.
I didn't really start figuring that out until I went away to college. If you asked one of my high school classmates about me I'm guessing they would say "she was nice, but really quiet." In my mind college was going to be awesome because I was going to a new place to meet new people with the opportunity to completely reinvent myself. The thing was though that I could change my scenery but at the end of the day I was still the same person.
Try as I might to be outgoing, it's just not who I am. But with that being said, it doesn't mean that I'm not friendly or don't enjoy a great conversion because I totally do. I think that when a lot of us think about introverts we think about a kid in their basement glued to their computer because they don't like human interaction. Sure, that would be a severe form of introvertism (is that even a word?), but it's not the only form that an introvert can take.
For me, being an introvert means that I might not be the one who initiates a conversation. It doesn't mean I don't want to talk to you it just means I might not feel comfortable walking up to you to start a chat. Also on that note I sometimes struggle speaking up in large group conversations (especially if I don't know the group very well), but that doesn't mean I don't have something to say I just prefer to say it in a smaller group or one-on-one. And finally being an introvert does NOT mean I don't like going out, it just means that I also value my alone time. On a Friday night I like to unwind by myself with a glass of wine and my Netflix, and by Saturday I'm ready to go out and do something fun with my friends.
Being an introvert doesn't mean you're broken, it just means you think and act differently from your outgoing counterparts. My main point here is that it doesn't really matter if you identify as an introvert or not, it just matters that you figure out what works best for you. I know that I like listening more than I like talking some days. One of my best friends just needs someone to listen to him, we're a perfect match. Yet another good friend of mine is also an introvert, and we can sit in happy silence with each other for hours. My point is that you don't need to change yourself to connect with other people, you just need to know who you are so that you can surround yourself with people who get it.
I have more to say about this, but I think I'm going to leave it at that for today. Maybe I'll come back to this topic some day. All I want for all of you is that you are happy (cheesy but true).
Just remember to be yourself and I promise you will sparkle. x
XO- Brittney
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