I am mostly introverted but I'm not very shy - they are two different things. Introverts get their energy from alone time while extroverts get their energy from crowds. I am fine in crowds for a bit but them need to go home and recharge (I tend to be halfway between intro and extro on most personality tests). I can do fine meeting new people, but I do better in one on one situations. I used to be shy, but I worked on it and now I'm not so much. I may not be the life of the party and I sometimes get tongue-tied, but overall I like meeting new people.
Extremely so. Socializing is exhausting for me. It's really difficult for me to work in customer service because having to interact with people all day is just so stressful for me. I am extremely socially awkward, too. I don't have friends.
H is also an introvert, so we spend a lot of quiet evenings at home.
I will add that I do like socializing - it's just that I like socializing with specific people, and as a result I have a very small group of friends that I am super close with. But I also need time to decompress. It's a balancing act.
I HATE big parties, talking on the phone, networking events ect.
This is me exactly. I can talk for hours with close friends and certain family members. I also like going out and doing things with these people. But I hate big parties (I get bored really fast), networking, forced bonding at work, etc. I'm shy too. I hate being the center of attention. I was uncomfortable at my own wedding (as far as the attention goes).
I lean toward the introverted side, but it's probably about 70/30 for me. I love hanging out with my BFF and my group of girlfriends, or family, but I'm a total homebody and need my alone time to recharge. I try not to plan something where I have to hang out with a lot of people more than 1-2x a week, because it drains me emotionally.
ETA: I agree with the pp though, there is a difference between introverted and shy. I am definitely not shy. Just need my time alone to recharge.
It's a tough combo because I come off super outgoing and friendly but when people actually want to do something I most of the time just beg off and go happily home.
Confuses the hell out of my friends and I am constantly saying "it's not you, it's me" lol
I'm introverted but not shy - agree these are two very different things.
I've become less introverted over the years, being in a management position had "forced" me to become more extroverted.
I definitely need my alone time where I can just read or just enjoy the silence.
DH is a total extrovert and can't quite wrap his head around my needing alone time. I feel like singing Monica's "It's just one of those days..." This is especially true when we visit his family - mostly extroverts and it's just talk, talk, talk about this neighbor or that member of their church or whoever and it's just non-stop. So after a good hour of that, I typically retreat to another room just to hear nothing but silence.
Yes, and I can't stand loud groups of people. I have gone to sit outside by myself at H's family gatherings because they are all incredibly loud and never shut up. Concerts never seem to bother me though, which is weird.
It depends on my mood. I can go either way. I would say I'm naturally more introverted, and I'm fine being alone and whatnot. but I can come out of my shell and have a good old time if the situation presents itself.
I will add that it's something I've worked on... it didn't just happen.
I looked to my sisters and extroverted friends as guides for behavior.
I'm a decent mix, but definitely lean more toward introvert. I have 2 close friends IRL, the rest of my friends I met/chat with on forums like this. I'd rather sit at home and read/play video games than go out most of the time. My husband is the same way.
I wouldn't say I'm an introvert as I love to be social and to interact with people. However, I am terribly shy and very awkward. I have to force myself to interact with new people and it can come off as pretty awkward, Once I'm comfortable, I'm really outgoing. My friends will often say "You are NOT shy!" and then I have to remind them of when we first met and then they say "Ohhhhhh, yeah. Right. Forgot about that."
Post by heliocentric on Jun 5, 2013 9:45:11 GMT -5
I am very introverted. I am not shy, socially awkward or timid. I just prefer small intimate groups & alone time to large, boisterous groups. I don't do small talk well. Not because I can't but because I think it's dumb. I'll do it if I have to, but otherwise I'd rather have a good conversation with one or two people I like than chit chat for the sake of it.
I'm surpised how many are making a point of saying they are a mix of types. Most people are a mix of types, but lean one way enough that it is dominant. It's not as though to be an introvert you must never enjoy socializing and spend all time indoors reading books with your cats.