I am an Introvert and I am Unique.

I prefer to be introduced rather than to introduce others, which my parents and my friends think I am unsocial. I want to make them feel that I am social but in a different way. I need fewer relationships, but those are more intimate and I prefer to relax alone with my few close friends. I am a private person. I don’t like to interrupt others, and I also don’t like to be interrupted. Sometimes I think my friends view me as I am hiding some great mystery inside my mind. But the truth is that I like to listen more than I talk. This makes me feel like an alien among them. Sometimes I wonder if nature intended us to talk more than listen, she would have given us two mouths and one ear.

An introvert is the one who remains isolated or enjoys the company of a few close ones and keeps himself busy in thinking. By nature, introverts are self-contained and reserved. We are all the same; we are all made of bone and flesh, but what makes us different is our nature. Different people have different natures. Every individual is unique in their own way, and so am I. When I was young, people used to say I was a shy kid, but now they have labeled me as an introvert.

I usually appear unapproachable or arrogant because I am not proactively warm like societies demand. While dealing with people, I sometimes have pathetic body language, a missed smile and lack of eye contact which make me suspicious and it makes me feel awkward. During my school days, I was content to sit back and let others take center stage. It doesn’t mean that I know less than others, I just didn’t feel a particular need to be in the limelight. Sometimes I easily get offended, the things which others think are easy to handle, are difficult for me to digest. I realized that introverts have a different operating system than extroverts. I don’t know why people relate introvert with shy. Shy is the lack of confidence in a social situation but it is not necessary that introverted people are shy. I like interacting with people and being social. The main problem with people is that they don’t know how to deal with introverts. Parents and friends need to understand that being an introvert isn’t a problem. We are all individuals who are different in our own ways. Some of us get energized being around others and some of us get depleted. Forcing an introverted child to talk with others isn’t going to work. He needs to feel comfortable in order to open up. Parents should understand that introverted kids can be highly self-conscious and they are more likely to get embarrassed while making fun of them in front of other people. Parents should praise their child when they interact with people. One should know that there is nothing unusual or shameful about being an introvert.

Each of us is born with different basic ingredients that make us different from others. The more introverted you are, the more likely you are to have encountered shame and guilt about who you are. And the more you have probably felt misunderstood, even by yourself. Always appreciate your uniqueness.

“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat any time and be yourself”- Hermann Hesse.