10 Misconceptions about Introverts You Need to Clarify.

Introvert: A person who is energized by being alone and whose energy is drained by being around people.

Today I’m going to talk about a kind of population where I belong along with many others out there. Introverts. Contrary to what people think, an introvert is a person who is shy. Shyness has an element of  apprehension, nervousness and anxiety, and while an introvert may also be shy, introversion itself is not shyness!! Introverts are concerned with the inner world of the mind. We enjoy thinking and exploring our own feelings and thoughts. However, if you want to understand us, then try to know the real us. It is important to an introvert.

Having said that, here are 10 misconceptions we need to clear up right now. We are not who you think you are. We’re even better.

We  don’t hate people- We really like people, seriously, especially those who have well stuffed refrigerator or a cable connection. People exhaust us, we just get away from them to ‘recharge’ ourselves, it’s nothing personal.

We like going to parties- We really do. We just prefer it with the people we know or are comfortable with it. All that random social interaction might  end up making us look weird and weirder. If we are interested in you, you’ll know. So chill.

Not all introverts are quiet- Well, okay we tend to be quiet and subdued, that is when we are around people. Why should we talk when we have nothing meaningful to say in response to their feckless talks? We want to feel that we can trust you, and that the words we share with you aren’t wasted. We are known for keeping our word with whoever we build a relationship with. We need to know that it is secured.

Introverts need you to listen too- We are pegged as a type of people you can really open up to and share your deepest secrets- because we are good listeners and observers (we own too much me-time remember?) However, we crave for the same in return- the same amount of space to open up, trust me you’ll be surprised. It might be hard for us but that doesn’t me that we don’t want it. We need a little help in that.

Introverts aren’t BORING!- We are put under the category of people who hit their beds at 9:00 pm and spend Friday nights cuddled up in our room. Okay, so that’s true sometimes. We love our indoors, there’s food and a bed. But all that get-away time gives us a mischievous and adventurous streak, a wild side others might not see it right away.

If we don’t text you back right away, we don’t hate you- All of that reflecting and thinking takes time, and constantly being on the phone might wear us out. We just might shutdown our phones and not come back until we finish what we were doing or have regained our energy. Our system just works that way.

We need space- Not just from people but because it is important- We need spaces around us to be clean, organised and less chaotic with which we are comfortable.

We don’t like to be underestimated- No one does. But just because something isn’t easy for us, doesn’t mean we won’t do it. A great number of list gives me anxiety – from thinking about future, to meeting new people and God forbid , public speaking! But introverts can be pragmatic, if you only did things we like, we might not do much. Just be there to support us when we step out of our comfort-zone, we’ll be fine.

Books are our friends too- We recognize that people are as important as our intellectual pursuits, but that doesn’t mean that you mock us for staying at home on a Friday night to read. Books are our friends too, we just want all our friends to get along with each other.  

Introvert isn’t a dirty word- When I was first tagged as an introvert, I was flabbergasted- because it wasn’t how I saw myself. I’m so friendly and sympathetic . I used to think introverts are people who are almost invisible to the society, the not-so-cool types. But introverts are just varied and intricate as their extrovert counterparts, and even harder to pin down. We don’t make sense to other people and sometimes we don’t make sense to ourselves. We might not even recognize these facts about ourselves but there’s nothing dirty about it. It’s just who we are finicky, a little elusive and we love it.

We can be difficult I know, my friends are doing a fine job in handling my mood-swings and my over-bearing mysterious nature. I’m just lucky. There’s still a lot of misconceptions and misinformation about what we are really like- and I know that this post won’t do all introverts justice. We don’t believe in explaining ourselves to the kind who can’t handle detailed lifestyle. We are infinite.