On looking inward

I just finished reading Quiet, by Susan Cain.  I understand that am an introvert, and most anyone who knows me would agree.  I always have been a quiet person, a bit eccentric, but always quiet.  And I have taken the Myers-Briggs test before.  Of course the result was a big fat "I" (introvert).  But what did that mean?  I've never quite grasped it to the extent that I do after reading this book.  In this post I hope to help you better understand what it means to be an introvert.

The best synonym I have found for introvert is highly-sensitive.  The part of the brain that processes emotions  and sensory information is called the amygdala.  Studies have shown that the amygdala in introverts is especially excitable.  This means that for an introvert, a high level of stimulation can easily be overwhelming.  If you consider this, you can see why a large group of people can be intimidating for an introvert.

Now that you understand that, the following characteristics will make sense:

1- An introvert doesn't care for small talk.  Introverts like to talk about subjects of depth.  This could be philosophies, politics, personal problems.  They like to listen and process what the other person is saying and when they speak, they want their words to be meaningful.  Empty words are wasteful.

2- Introverts gain energy from being alone, verses extroverts who gain energy from being with people.  They will often find themselves looking for excuses to get out of social obligations because they simply don't have the energy for it.

3- Introverts like to take in all the information and look at the big picture.  Because of this, many are slow to come to decisions and tend to be more cautious.

4- Introverts tend to be very empathetic and prone to feeling guilty.  Because of this, most are extremely loyal and honest people.

5- Introverts are good at focusing.  As long as an introvert is in a quiet, not overstimulating environment, they can be with their thoughts for hours.  This is why many scientists, artists, and thinkers are introverts.  That doesn't mean that introverts are inherently more intelligent, they are just better at spending time alone, letting their thoughts take them away.

That's all I have for now.  If you want to know more (and you should!). I recommend reading Quiet, both to you extroverts and introverts out there.