Introverted Extroverts: Yes that’s possible

My Story:

I was SO shy in high school, never feeling comfortable around a large group of people and never opening up. That changed the minute I got to freshman orientation.

I began talking to people with no trouble at all, and when I told people I was shy they did not believe me. One exercise we did at orientation introduced me to the idea of being an introverted extrovert and after that it all made sense.

So, what exactly is an “introverted extrovert”?

Personally, I think an introverted extrovert is someone who reacts differently to different situations. In some social situations, they can be extroverts, but in others where they may be overwhelmed they can quickly become introverted. I prefer to use this term instead of ambivert because I believe it’s easier for people to understand.

What are some traits I find in myself as an introverted extrovert?

I need my alone time.
- I need that time in my day where I can be alone and relax or just enjoy the peace and quiet. I don’t like to engage in constant conversation, especially about trivial things.
- For example, I love to go on long drives, or just simply go the long way home from work to have some more time to be alone, think, and listen to music.
I don’t like to constantly be around people.
- Like I said before, I need that time to myself where I can be alone. I get sick of people quickly and lose interest in conversation quickly as well.
- Sometimes on the weekends I like to just chill by myself and watch Netflix as opposed to going to a party.
Being around a lot of people at once gives me anxiety
- I do not like to be surrounded by a lot of people at once. It is very overwhelming and I usually freeze, not knowing where to go or who to talk to.
I am very uncomfortable around people I don’t know
- I am usually very quiet around new people and never know how to start a conversation or what to say. I am much more content listening than I am when I’m talking.
I like having friends in all sorts of different groups, rather than having one friend group.
- As I previously said, I don’t like constantly being around the same people. I think its refreshing to have friends who are involved in different things and who all have different interests. Being with the same group of people bores me and I really like to talk about and do a variety of different things with different people.
- For example, in high school, I had friends on my track team, friends on the football team, friends involved with theater, and friends that were just from class.
I like having a few close friends as opposed to being friends with everyone
- It takes me a long time to open up to people, so I need that close-knit group of friends who I trust and can talk about anything with. I’m completely okay with not knowing or being friends with everyone.
I’m outgoing when I want to be.
- When I’m with my friends, I am the life of the party. I’m always laughing and smiling and I usually talk really loud. When I’m comfortable, I’m not afraid to let loose and fool around.