Am I an Extrovert or Introvert?

So many people see me when I am out in public, they would describe me as an extrovert because of things that I do and show. I can be out there and will being to show a side of me that might not be who I am in real life. 

Now, what I am going to say for a lot of people is, I am an introvert but can show extrovert features when they are needed. Yes, that is something that a lot of people can do because they know what is needed in the world around us. Something that an introvert has a difficult time in is showing is that they can be outgoing when it is needed, they could see this as be a challenge moving forward in their career. This is something that an introvert is going to have to try and manage to just move forward in life.

For me, I can honestly say that I am an introvert in so many ways, but I will be an extrovert when it is needed of me. Sure, I can stand up in public and do talks and show the world who I am and what I can do, but then there is the part of me that takes great pleasure of being able to hide from the world and do things that make me extremely happy.

An extrovert is also going to find some of their characteristics as a challenge moving forward because if they are extremely outgoing that could also been seen as an issue especially with some careers that are more for the introvert type of individual. Compare the imagine of an accountant to a salesperson and you will probably see that one of them is most likely an introvert when the other is probably an extrovert.

I must admit that I have not seen someone that is either a total introvert or extrovert because we all need the time and space to recharge our personal battery before we got back out in public and show the world who we are when that is needed.

Me an extrovert

 So many people see me and tell me I’m an extrovert. I know when I need to be around people, I have that ability. An extrovert gains energy from being around people, where I have my energy drained in those environments. I am an introvert but can be out in public and no one would know that about me.  No, I don’t want to be the centre of attention, but I can mix and mingle with people when needed. I have also been known to find that quiet spot even in noisy places to just hide for those few minutes to regain some of my energy so that I can continue to be present and enjoy where I am. As I do go to quite a few IT events, I have found one spot that is usually nice and quiet, and that is the women’s washroom. IT is still a very male focused industry, so when I need those couple of minutes it’s a great place to escape to.

I get a lot of pleasure having time to myself to recharge my batteries and think things through. In some cases, I do like to be out in public, but sitting watching people where I don’t have to mingle is nice. Sometimes it’s fun to just sit in a coffee shop or a food court and just watch people around you.

Being able to write in either environment is extremely handy because ideas come when they do, and they need to be captured. If the document is in final review, I do like my quiet environment, but rough drafts can be done anywhere. Lately, I have found that I have done quite a bit of my writing sitting on our balcony, it is a quiet area, but I can also see what’s going on around me.

Yes, I admit that I am an introvert and there are times when I do enjoy my alone time, but then I still have the times when being among people is nice, and I enjoy it. After I have been around people for a while I really do enjoy escaping and finding my place which is normally at home where I can get my energy back for the next time.

Being able to show that you can be out among people and show a professional side can come in very handy. It doesn’t matter who you are, it is important than even as an introvert you try and not let other’s see that side of you. Yes, your true friends can see that side, but others don’t need to see it.