Being an introvert or introversion is a type of personality trait that makes a person focus on internal feelings rather than relying on external factors to satisfy them. Introverts and extroverts are considered opposites, but we often see people around us that are neither here nor there on the personality trait scale.
According to statistics, more than 40 percent of the world population is likely to be introverted and yet there are still many misconceptions about this personality trait.
One of the main misconceptions is that people often take introversion to be the same thing as social anxiety or shyness, but the truth is far from that.
If you are seeking the knowledge about introversion and some signs that help you spot introversion in you and all around you, then you came to the right place because that’s what we’re going to do in this article.
Let’s start from the beginning.
What is an Introvert?
Introversion is one of the most identified personality traits all around the world. It points to people who tend to be happy in their personalities and their little world rather than seeking out external stimulation to make their life more enjoyable.
These people tend to be more reserved, and unlike extroverts who tend to gain energy and satisfaction in social gatherings, they tend to expend energy in such environments, and they need to “recharge” by spending some alone time with themselves.
What are the causes of Introversion?
To know why people have such varying personality traits, you need to first understand what role your body physiology plays in the whole process. The way your body blends with the environment around you plays a crucial role in properly defining whether you’ll be an introvert or extrovert.
If we look at it from a physiological perspective, a network of neurons in our brain known as the RAS is responsible for maintaining the arousal levels and other functions like wakefulness and the transitioning process between waking up and sleeping.
According to theories, these stimulation levels in introverts are naturally elevated and because of this, they tend to seek environments where they can escape from overstimulation.
These high arousal levels make them more attentive towards everything around them, making them more attentive and receptive to information.
What are the Common Signs of Introversion?
Normally, we assume that we know who the introverts around us are. We think of introverts as shy beings that prefer to stay home and spend some alone time with themselves. This might be true in most of the cases, but introverts come in many shapes and forms.
The following are some of the most common signs that help you spot, if you or anyone around you, is an introvert.
1. You have a Small Group of Close Friends
One of the main misconceptions about introverts is that they hate people, or they tend to not like people. While this is true on some level, but ‘hate’ might be taking it too far. Instead, they enjoy the company of a small group of people that they feel most comfortable with.
They don’t believe that having a large group associated with them will make them happy or comfortable, so they tend to keep their group small so that they can establish long-lasting relationships filled with intimacy and depth.
2. People find you Distant and have trouble Getting to know You
Introverts are often seen as the reserved or the quiet ones in the group. While some of the introverts are shy, we should never mix up their shyness for fear. In many cases, introverts simply prefer to talk carefully and to the point, so that they don’t waste any time and effort on unnecessary small talk.
3. Stimulating environments leave you Distracted and Unfocussed
Introversion has a strange effect on people it affects. When these people are required to spend time in a clustered environment, they end up being overwhelmed by all of this attention. Extroverts, on the other hand, love the attention of these environments and they tend to thrive in them.
According to studies, introverts are more easily distracted than their counterparts and that’s why they prefer a quitter surrounding rather than a harried one.
4. Self-Awareness is their Best Friend
Whenever these people are given attention or if they monitor themselves in the mirror even, they tend to be very self-aware. This attention might be given to their physique, their views or their aspirations, etc.
A quick check — If you are quite chronically aware of your feelings, your motivations, and your feelings, you might be a secret introvert.
5. You Learn by Watching
Where extroverts love to just dive right in and explore new situations and activities, introverts lean more towards learning through observation. While extroverts learn through trial and error, introverts consume knowledge by watching.
Introverts, when it comes to learning something new, they see other people performing that activity before they can replicate their actions. And when they do decide to do that, they do it in a private place where they won’t be afraid of being judged and ridiculed.
These private places help them to build their skills in private so that they can perfect themselves before even thinking of performing for an audience.
6. You Prefer Jobs that involve Independence
As you know, workspaces are filled with people and a whole lot of social interactions just waiting for you every day. This scenario is literally an introvert’s nightmare. They need silence and solitude, and offices are everything but that. This is why introverts prefer those jobs that involve the freedom to work anywhere.
These people mostly prefer working from home, freelancing or workplaces where they have separate office spaces for each employee, etc. Apart from where they work, introverts also prefer professions that offers independence and freedom of expression like being a writer or a computer programmer or a graphic designer, etc.
Conclusion:
You probably have suffered from your own instances of introversion in life. If they are not too embarrassing, we’d like to hear your thoughts through the comments section below. Perhaps, your experience can help our fellow readers who have faced something similar in their work life.
Originally published at https://www.ntaskmanager.com on March 9, 2020.
