Introversion is a personality trait characterized by a focus on internal feelings rather than on external sources of stimulation. Introverts and extroverts are often viewed in terms of two extreme opposites, but the truth is that most people lie somewhere in the middle.
As I've settled into the knowing that yes, I am mostly an introvert, and yes I can be over-stimulated in a noisy, bustling, people-filled world, I have still been able to figure out how to thrive here.
I see my introversion as my advantage; almost like a superpower, because my introverted nature forces me to be highly aware of how everything affects me. It's made me develop my own formula for how to live a meaningful, impactful and authentic life.
As we go through these introvert advantages, keep in mind that most people have both extroversion and introversion qualities; it is not either-or. We exist on a spectrum.
(There are certainly benefits to being extroverted as well, but that'll be a whole different blog post).
In this article, I want to shine a light on introverts like myself - I want to focus on the value of being an introvert, because I believe that we are wired in specific ways to fulfill specific purposes on earth.
Here a some of the benefits of being an introvert:
You have clarity about your life purpose. You can think clearly about your priorities in life and decide to put your energy into what you value most.
You know what gives you energy and what sucks it. As an introvert, you have a highly developed filter for experiences. This means you are able to choose better for yourself and you are not swayed easily by others opinions.
You are a problem-solver. You can develop solutions to problems that others have yet to solve. Some of the world's greatest inventors, scientists and artists were and are introverts. They can spend so much time alone, working when others need to be socializing.
You are a creative powerhouse. You think deeply about what you experience in life and the issues you see around you. If you’ve never tried writing or doing something creative, try it. It's something that you might be naturally gifted for.
You compete with yourself. You are not the competitive type. You've already figured out that you run a different race from other people and you see that there's no point in comparing someone else's path to yours.
You can become a master of your energy and time. Whereas other people may flipped from activity to activity, you know you have a limited of social energy. You learn how to use your time most wisely.
You can become extremely effective and productive in whatever you put your mind to. Since you probably attend fewer social gatherings, you have more time to yourself. You can invest in skills and abilities that you want to learn.
You can grow faster. As an introvert, you have been gifted with the ability to develop yourself easier and faster than others. You have probably been called an “old soul” by others. You have an intuitive sense of wisdom and when you choose to share it people are amazed. This wisdom comes from the fact that you process your life experiences and look for the lessons in everything.
You make a great leader. Introverts naturally dread being the center of attention. Therefore, in most leadership positions, they don’t aim to steal the spotlight but try to make an impact.
You have deep and meaningful relationships. An introvert person connects on a deeper emotional level than most people do due to their sensitive nature.
You are content being alone. You can think for yourself. This also means that you can have a very deep and rich spiritual life and you are resilient.
It’s okay to be different - and not all introverts are the same. Some introverts only require a small amount of alone time to recharge and can handle a fair amount of social time before feeling drained. Others drain quickly and prefer to spend very long periods alone. It’s different for each person.
Being an introvert is a gift. The world needs more people with depth, who think before they act, who provide an insightful perspective. The world needs people who value meaningful relationships over meaningless small talk.
If you’re an introvert and if you’ve spent your time thinking that you’re not good enough, shift your mindset and start embracing your “weaknesses”. Because actually, they could become some of your most powerful and valuable strengths.
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