Tap into your introvert superpowers
Are you an introvert? Does it affect your life in a negative way? Do you feel as though being an introvert makes your life harder?
As you probably know, being identified as an introvert is very different to being identified as an extrovert. These are personality types, not mental health conditions. Psychiatrist, Carl Jung, first coined these terms in the 1920s. There is some evidence to suggest that introverts are more prone to being diagnosed with mental health issues, especially if a) they don’t fully understand what being an introvert really means, b) they haven’t tapped into the strengths of an introvert and c) they have trouble accepting who they truly are. As you will discover; however, being an introvert is very cool! If you knew how many famous people – world changers – were introverts you’d know you are a member of a highly valued and respected global community.
So, what does it mean to be an introvert?
Characteristics of an introvert
If you imagine a temperament continuum, you will find introversion in its pure form at one end and extroversion, in its pure form, at the other end, with many variations* in between. As an introvert you tend to enjoy your own company, the quieter life and doing things one-on-one with another person or two. A crowd of people or a busy shopping centre are not things that you happily seek out. In fact, these situations tend to drain your energy.
Being an introvert does not mean you are by nature shy or lonely, although introverts can be shy and can feel lonely. You are often just more comfortable focusing on your ideas and thoughts rather than what is happening in the world around you.
Broadly speaking, introverts are like self-charging batteries; to do this, they go within which is why the real purpose of spending time alone is to recharge which enables introverts to step out into the more extroverted world outside the confines of their mind and home (see The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney). Extroverts, on the other hand, tend to recharge by ‘plugging in’ to external stimuli.
(*you can have introverts with well-developed extrovert skills, and you can have extroverts comfortable with being alone, etc.)
Are you an introvert?
Many people are introverts, so you are not alone. Even though introversion is different for everyone, introverts have similar behavioural patterns, for example, you:
- Need to take time to reflect
- Make considered decisions
- Enjoy being alone
- Retreat inside yourself to recharge your energy
- Feel tired when spending time in crowds
- Avoid working in groups if you can
- Need quietness to focus and concentrate
- Prefer to write than to talk
- Only have a few friends, but these are very close
- Are self-aware
- Solve problems using your imagination to visualise different outcomes
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This article is courtesy of Bernadette Martin at Feel Good Psychology & Counselling.
Feel Good Psychology & Counselling offers an affordable, 100% bulk billed, telehealth counselling service. Feel Good Psychology & Counselling has a growing team of Feel Good High Quality Psychologists committed to a no-fee service for clients with a Mental Health Treatment Plan seeking Bulk Billed Medicare Psychology Sessions. For clients without a Mental Health Treatment Plan, our committed team of Feel Good Psychologist offer one of the lowest rates available for quality psychological services in Australia.
