I Wish That I Could Be Like The Cool Kids

Being an ‘introvert’ is a double edged sword. At times you feel energized and you’re actively seeking out the company of other people; at other times, not so much. You need to recharge and you can’t do so in a crowd. Our entourage can feel alienated and call us arrogant or pretentious, but only if they knew what phase we’re going through. I call it a phase because it doesn’t last forever, though the recovery time will vary to each introvert. Purposefully being alone to recharge is as necessary as any other need like eating, drinking, sleeping, and so on. By the way, although ‘recharge’ may sound like a fancy word, what I do during that period can be very mundane. Stuff like watching an entire season of my favorite show, listening to music at high volume, it could be exercise or watching TED TALKS... you may refer to those things as time wasting, it’s okay, long as you don’t disrupt the process. Because that will further delay my recovery. Which means you’ll only get to hangout with only half of me and trust me you don’t want that. Lol.

Sometimes, I wish I was “normal”, i.e somebody that could always be found in a crowd. Someone very social, but I’m not. I’m the total opposite, in fact, I’m borderline antisocial and I own it. Now, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the company of great friends and loved ones, mixed with great conversations while sipping our favorite wine. However, it usually doesn’t take that long before I want to be by myself once again. It’s a push and pull type of situation. It’s not some bad habit we can grow out of. Introverts are wired that way. Many times, I’ve tried to prolong my interaction time with people, to only having to take more time to recharge afterwards.

Relationships are very tricky for introverts and I find that to be true in my case. Because more often than not, the time you choose to share your concerns, hope, and dreams with me and my recharge time oftentimes coincide. And since during those times we seem very distant, people are quick to think that we don’t care about them and what they’re going through. I generalize because any introvert, man or woman, can relate to what’s being said here.

Here are some fun/interesting facts about introverts:

-We probably won’t go to your parties, but don’t you dare not invite us.

-Not surprisingly, we are great listeners

-Strangely enough, we are also great lovers (ask around) Lol

-We are very reliable, especially after we’ve charged up. Before that, not so much. Lol

-You can keep your love, just give us respect, understanding, and acceptance and we are yours forever

-There’s no middle ground with us, either we’re with you or we’re not; either we care or we don’t