Most introverts are really shy and derive energy from silence, while most extroverts are really social and derive energy from being around other people.
When you're an extroverted introvert, the entirety of your being is a conundrum.
It took me a while to understand that I was a good mix of both, and I'm sure many of you are still figuring out where you fit, too. But, if you're like me and are still unsure, I'm here to tell you that you don't have to "FIT."
Social skills and preferences aren't an on-0ff switch; they're on a spectrum, and you can lie anywhere on that spectrum.
There's more good news: We "ambiverts," as we are called, have a distinct advantage over true extroverts or true introverts. We can adjust our approach to people based on the situation, and so are able to make deeper connections with a wide variety of people.
Here are 9 signs that you just might be one too:
1. You Bounce Between Needing Time Alone And Getting Bored By Yourself
When you're alone, it's only a matter of time before you crave social crowds again, and when you're around people, you're anxious to be alone again. It's not that you're never content, it's just that certain moods call for different situations.
2. You're Quiet In A Crowd But The Center Of Attention In Smaller Conversations
If one-on-one conversations seem to be more your forte, you might just be an extroverted introvert, as intimate settings are more our thing.
3. You Are Selective With Your Friendships Because It's Important That People "Get You"
You don't have a staple group of friends. Your closest friends are rather made up of individuals from different social groups.
4. You Have Different Friends Who Suit Your Different Moods
It's also difficult to maintain your friendships because sometimes you are hot and out partying, and then other times you go cold or quiet for weeks, and some people just can't keep up... it's not that you don't like weekend activities, you just do in limited doses.
5. Most People Think You're Either An Introvert Or An Extrovert (Not Both)
You may spend more time introverting than extroverting, but most people only see your outgoing side because, let's face it, most times, that's when they see you.
6. You're Very Picky About The Social Functions You Do Attend
Social interactions tend to either recharge or drain your energy. You only have so much energy for socializing so it has to be worth your time to engage in a social event or not.
7. You Hate Small Talk
You refuse to be caught in a conversation you don't really care for, and if you found yourself in one, you would find a way to get out quick.
8. You're Not Easy To Please
You have to really like someone to like someone, so you're more accustomed to the saying "physical attraction comes a dime a dozen, but mental connection is rare."
9. You Live In Your Head
Sometimes you're outgoing and sometimes you want to stay home with a good book, but the only consistent is that you're thinking constantly.
Some of us learned to become extroverted because we needed to be in certain situations. The basis of human nature is grounded in interacting with others, and, fortunately or unfortunately, we have learned to survive in a world that favors the more extroverted individual.
So we've learned how to balance ourselves somewhere between the two or t0 be at one extreme of both ends at any given time.
If you're an extrovert, good for you, and if you're an introvert, that's also great. The world has more extroverts than introverts, so it's a breath of fresh air to find someone who's a little different.
If you're able to be extroverted and introverted, an ambivert, social introvert or whatever name the world wants to coin us as, even better.
