Once An Extrovert, Always An Extrovert?

(source)

I have an activity assigned to almost every night of the week.  Monday, I go to the gym with a friend, pick up a salad from Bad Daddy’s, and watch The Bachelor.  Tuesdays I normally get to see Jonathan.  Wednesdays I have Bible Study.  Thursdays I babysit for my sister’s Bible Study.  Friday through Sunday are always up in the air.  Jonathan worked late tonight (late for him isn’t 7 or 8, it’s 11 or 12), so I had a quiet night at home.

After work I met my friend Haley at the gym for a spin class, then I came home.  I turned on some music and made black bean burgers for me, myself, and I.  While I ate, I caught up on some reading I’ve been wanting to do but haven’t had time for.  I washed the dishes.  I packed my lunch for tomorrow.  I cleaned my room.  I ate a scoop of Moose Tracks ice cream out of a colorful little bowl.  I lit a candle and took a bubble bath.  Now I’ve got Bon Iver singing to me and I’ve got the twinkly lights in my room turned on and I’m sitting in my bed, writing.

And you know what, I flat out loved tonight.  I missed spending time with my man for sure, but boy do I love some good, quality alone time.  If you had asked me at any point during my first 23 years of life, “Are you an introvert or an extrovert,” I surely would have been quick to claim myself as an extrovert.  I’m bubbly and cheerful, I have lots of friends, and I’m quick to volunteer personal information. More and more recently, though, I’ve been thinking that maybe I’m really an introvert at heart. I’m energized by alone time, I’m independent, and I love to read and write.

I’m still learning about what it means to be an extrovert and what it means to be an introvert and, at 24, I’m still learning about myself.  With some groups of friends, I’m loud and outgoing and you can’t get me to stop yammering on.  In other social circles, I’m quiet and shy and I have to coax myself into voicing my thoughts 3 or 4 times before I’ll actually do it.  Reading this list, I definitely identify with a large number of the introverted preferences. Basically I love my friends and family but I need alone time to recharge.

In thinking about this I’ve realized that there’s almost a negative stigma around being introverted.  People seem to deem extroverted qualities as more valuable, but I don’t think that’s fair.  In fact, in the latest version of the DSM, introversion is classified as a disorder. (source) Come on now!  Where would we be without all the introverts?

p.s. Here’s a TED Talk about the power of introverts, if you’re interested.

p.p.s. The jury is still out on if the correct spelling is extrovert or extravert. I keep seeing both online.

Question Of The Day:

Are you an extrovert or an introvert? Do you think we can change over time?