Introversion and extroversion are personality traits that were originally popularized by Carl Jung.
An introvert is an individual who tends to turn inward and be more focused on internal thoughts and feelings as opposed to seeking out external stimuli.
I myself fall under the label of introvert pretty easily. Me to a tee. A lot of people have trouble understanding introverts, but that’s a two way street! I have a lot of trouble understanding the things that you don’t understand. Let’s find some common ground here.
These are 9 things introverts have trouble understanding.
1. Popularity contests.
It feels good to be liked. I get that. I like being liked! But the popularity contests I see around me are unbelievably foreign. The idea of being, for example, an ‘influencer’ seems so profoundly pointless. Or, I mean, I understand that there’s money to be made, but the long haul to becoming a popular figure like that seems absolutely exhausting. Swiping left on that idea.
2. Weekends at the bar.
There’s a perception among non-introverts that introverts don’t enjoy going outside of their homes and doing things. Not true! I love a good, fun Saturday night out drinking. But the location is important. I can’t deal with a raucous weekend at a bar. But I’d gladly visit a brewery or a distillery’s tasting room, or even have some beers on a porch somewhere! A busy bar is not my jam, though.
3. Huge parties.
I like parties quite a bit. It’s great to catch up with friends in one big setting. You can kind of move from one person or group to the end. But have you ever walked into a party where the room is absolutely packed with people dancing and talking? That’s gonna be a yikes from me, dawg. I enjoy going to parties, but I can’t deal with parties like that.
4. Phone calls.
If you loved me, you wouldn’t ever call me. But it’s not that I don’t ever want to hear from you! Just send me a text. With a phone call, I have to discuss different things right away, whether or not I want to. With a text message, I can just reply whenever I’m feeling it. That sounds way nicer to me.
5. People who talk…a lot.
Introverts don’t dislike talking. Here I am, an introvert, writing a bunch of words down about things we don’t understand. But my writings on this will probably end around the 700 word count. I tend to be concise with the things I say and leave it at that. I can’t fathom having the kind of energy necessary to keep talking and talking and talking. A lengthy lecture or a long conversation is my mortal enemy.
6. Being called boring.
Hey, I figure if what I am is “boring” then I will gladly adopt the label. Even though I’m introverted, I find my life to be pretty interesting. I go on lots of solo hikes, read tons of amazing books, and forge deep connections with people I truly love.
7. Socializing for the fun of it.
I’ll say this to start with: I think that socializing is fun. But it’s not the simple act of socializing that’s fun to me, but the deeper connections that spending time with people can create. I love deep conversations, philosophical discussions, and even debates. Surface-level socialization is something I find tedious, however.
8. Love of travel.
Saint Augustine once said: “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” That may be true, but as an introvert, I’d much rather read a book about traveling than actually traveling. The idea of dealing with airports and strange cities seems so daunting to me. That said, I’m super into road trips. Being in the car alone or with a couple close friends is my jam.
9. Being the life of the party.
When I am socializing with groups of people, it is my favorite to sit back and simply enjoy the company of the people I’m with. It’s not that I won’t talk, but I definitely don’t want to be the life of the party. I find that kind of attention to be pretty exhausting.
Introverts are definitely a little bit different. These 9 things that we don’t understand, don’t take it as a sign of judgement. I definitely want nothing more than for you to be you! Still, phone calls, lots of talking, busy nights at a bar – I just don’t get it!
