I Used to Feel Ashamed of Being an Introvert. Not Anymore. Here’s Why.
I used to feel ashamed of being an introvert.
But in recent years, I’ve realized being an introvert has its advantages.
Here are four.
You’re Creative
Introverts spend a lot of their time alone. And because of this, we:
Have more time to explore our interests
Have more time to come up with unique ideas
Have more time to do our best work because our “best work” comes from solitude
You’re Self-Aware
I spend a lot of time alone. And I devote some of this time to reflecting on my thoughts and feelings through journaling. This is why I have an understanding of:
My values
My priorities
My strengths and weaknesses
The kind of life I want to build
And the type of person I want to become
And this self-awareness (for the most part) guides me in my day-to-day decision-making.
With this said, there are two things I want to mention.
First, I’m definitely not perfect. So I still act out of alignment with my values sometimes. But, I try to be aware of it and correct myself. And I try to limit doing so as much as possible.
Two, I’m still a work in progress. Self-awareness is a lifelong journey. And so, it’s important we’re kind and compassionate toward ourselves as we figure out who we are and what we want.
You’re a Good Problem-Solver
Stephen Covey said, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” In my opinion, this quote captures the essence of an introvert's personality. Why? Because a key strength of ours is that we listen, observe, and analyze deeply before acting. This is what makes us great problem-solvers.
You Have Deep and Fulfilling Relationships
I protect my energy. And one of the ways I do this is by being socially selective. In other words, I carefully choose who I spend time with. And it’s often based on factors like a person’s character, energy, habits, and values. And because I go through this mental checklist before I decide to be friends with someone, I just don’t have many friends, lol. But, you know what? I’m okay with that. Because of the friends, I do have? Well, they’re strong and meaningful bonds.
Wrapping Things Up
Here are 4 advantages of being an introvert.
You’re creative.
You’re self-aware.
You’re a good problem-solver.
You have deep and fulfilling relationships.
Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash