Seven Signs That You're An Introvert
⌛ By Kaylin R. Staten ⌛
Introverts sometimes get typecast into their own little bubbles. We listen to constant feedback loops that tell us to be different than how we actually are. You have to speak your mind constantly in order to be noticed. If you’re not an extrovert, you will not make it in business -- or the world in general. Fortune favors the bold and extroverted.
I’m here to tell you that you can be successful as an extrovert, introvert, or a mix of both as an ambivert. My free guidebook, 10 Ways To Launch Yourself Past Your Comfort Zones As A Communications Pro, will show you how to accept yourself for who you are and use your personality and skill sets to aid you in your personal and professional journey.
Here are 7 signs that you are indeed an introvert. Welcome to the club!
You crave that morning-cup-of-coffee silence — all day long.
There is nothing quite like that first sip of coffee with a dash of cream in the morning. Or green tea. Or seltzer water. Or Coca-Cola. Whatever makes you happy! Introverts like either being the first one to wake up or the last one to go to sleep. That’s when we do our best work and can focus without interruptions from the outside world. I am a natural night owl, and I’ve written millions of words while everyone else sleeps. That’s when I used to write my poems about middle school crushes, complete my high-school summer reading assignments, and turn daydreams into real-life goals. Silence is golden to those of us who love silent introspection.
Your nose is always stuck in a book, à la Belle from “Beauty and the Beast.”
If you’re in a communications field, it’s highly probable that you enjoy reading. You may have your preferences, of course, but you always wish you could be reading for business or pleasure. The perks of owning a media company is that I am able to read and get paid for it! It could be combing through a client’s website content or crafting a pitch to send to a new source or reading that fiction bestseller that’s been on my shelf or in my Kindle app for months. We love reading and learning new things as introverts. And honestly, who wouldn’t want that magical library in the Beast’s castle?
You’d rather be seen and not heard. you don’t have to overcompensate by talking nonstop.
If you’re an introvert, you know exactly what I mean by this. Say you’re in a business meeting, and there’s a person who talks incessantly and doesn’t allow anyone else to get a word in. We all know people who talk just for the sake of talking, even when they have nothing to contribute in a professional or personal setting. (There are various reasons people behave this way, one of which is a lack of confidence, in my experience.) You speak up when you have to, and you most certainly take up for yourself, your work, and others. But, you are a grand master listener, and you prefer it that way.
You actually do like people, but you like intimate, one-on-one or small group settings.
This one may contradict the previous musing, but contrary to popular belief, introverts really do like people! (Unless we are maxed out on our patience and it becomes too people-y to be outside of our homes and offices.) We reset by alone time or time spent with those we are closer with, such as a significant other, family member, or best friend. We thrive with alone time, one-on-one situations, and small group settings. That allows introverts to be more of their authentic selves and be able to insert emotions, thoughts, and actions and establish meaningful relationships.
You love to help others, but you often forget to help yourself in the process.
As introverts, we show that we care about other people by helping them; however, it’s often at our own expenses. We get so caught up in handing people items on silver platters, helping our clients achieve their goals and objectives, and working on passion projects that we lose sight of our own needs and desires. It’s important to remember self-care and self-love as we help others.
You love a lot of things.
In fact, you wear your heart on your sleeve during good and bad emotions. You’re a closet hopeless romantic, but you would never tell anyone! You speak in memes and gifs like it’s your long-lost love language. You spend a lot of time in your own head, so you cultivate extreme likes (and often extreme dislikes to match). I’ve always struggled with allowing myself to express my truest emotions, no matter if that makes me seem weak internally. The answer is always authenticity, my introverted friend. When you resist who you are, then you cannot live a happy life, despite what you love.
You live what you love every day. Your purpose fuels your daily interactions and projects.
As an introvert, you cannot abide the feelings and thoughts that accompany a toxic workplace or a consistently stressful situation. So, you live a purpose-driven life, which translates to your workplace as well. You could be at the helm of your dream job, or you could be (im)patiently waiting to start your own company. Because we are easily overstimulated and have a hard time doing things we don’t like, introverts thrive in careers with longevity and blends our own interests into the framework.
Read more in my eBook, and learn how you can use your introverted personality to your advantage in your career! Download it here.
If you’re into pop culture (like I am), Google your personality type and see your real-life and fictional alter egos. Just for fun, here are some of mine:
Carrie Fisher (OF COURSE, right?)
Obi-Wan Kenobi from “Star Wars”
Yoda from “Star Wars”
The Tin Man from “The Wizard of Oz”
Jon Snow from “Game of Thrones”
Belle from “Beauty and the Beast”
Liz Lemon from “30 Rock”
Galadriel from “Lord of the Rings”
Max from the “Life is Strange” video game
Princess Zelda from “The Legend of Zelda” games
Mufasa from “The Lion King”
Read more on how to lean into your personality as an Introverted Media Darling.
Kaylin R. Staten, APR, is an award-winning public relations practitioner and writer based in Huntington, WV with nearly 16 years of professional communications experience. As CEO and founder of Hourglass Media, she uses her compassionate spirit and expertise to delve into the heart of clients’ stories. She is a recovering perfectionist, mental health advocate, wife, cat mom and Leia Organa aficionado. Connect with Kaylin on LinkedIn.