Embracing the Quiet: Understanding Introverts

Why so quiet? Are you an introvert?

“I have always looked out for quiet places where I can experience the joy of deep conversation. Sometimes I have also benefited from the buzz of conferences and family gatherings, though I seek time alone afterward to recover”. We might have heard people with such statements. Being an introvert or an extrovert is part of the person’ s personality and isn’t a flaw.

Who are introverts?

Introverts are those who get energized by their internal thoughts and personal exploration. They are more sensitive to processing stimuli and prefer stability and listening over social interactions.

Who are extroverts ?

Increased external excitement or social activity energize extroverts. They prefer larger sets of friends, thrill seeking, and assertiveness (Tohver, 2021).

But despite these characteristics being part of our personality, we need not always showcase the same pattern throughout our life.

Studies suggest that we show great variation in our extraversion–introversion tendencies across our lifespan” (Tohver, 2021, p. 164).

Research shows that during our career, we may develop more extrovert tendencies out of necessity to meet the needs of our role. At the same time, as we age, we typically find that extraversion declines, and there is a rise in introversion (Tohver, 2021).

Those who fall in the middle.

Edmund S. Conklin introduced the term “ambivert” in 1923 to recognize individuals in the middle of the introvert vs. extrovert spectrum (Petric, 2022). Most people fall in this category.

And the fact that needs to be in light.

There is a general notion that being an extrovert is highly acceptable. It can seem like extroverts have all the fun. “Extraverts love to party – they engage in frequent social interaction, take the lead in livening up dull gatherings, and enjoy talking a lot” (Larsen et al., 2017, p. 69).

But whether people are extroverts or introverts does not define their degree of enjoyment or life satisfaction. It rather suggests where they may find their contentment.

While extroverts look forward for large gatherings and constantly seek new experiences, introverts get recharged when in quiet focus or deep conversation with a few trusted friends.

Ultimately, being an introvert or an extrovert neither is a problem nor it is something that is limiting so long as what we are does not prevent us or our loved ones from living fully and engaging lives.