The terms "introvert" and "extrovert" are constantly thrown around to distinguish between two different groups of people and their personality traits and types. However, just because you fall into one category doesn't mean you can't embody traits that people tend to think only one or the other has.
Being introverted can be a lot more than personal space and shy social interactions. Here are 10 signs that can help you define what exactly makes up an outgoing introvert and how they differ from someone who is extroverted.
1. You're not antisocial. You're selectively social.
As an introvert, you tend to live inside your head quite a bit. This also means that you may have a harder time being social, outgoing, and charismatic around just anybody. Therefore, selectively choosing who you show your genuine and raw colors to tends to be something out of your control. It just depends on which people are surrounding you.
2. People confuse you as an extrovert almost always.
Just because you're talkative and vivacious does not mean you're an extrovert. The major difference between the two is that extroverts tend to focus on the outside world while introverts are more introspective.
3. Your energy level depends on your environment.
Introverts tend to gain energy from within themselves and need a bit of personal time after a large use of social energy. It does depend on your environment, though, and whether or not you vibe with a group of people. Therefore, outgoing introverts can gain energy from human interaction, but it just depends on the connection they either feel or don't feel with an individual or group of people.
4. You prefer to be left alone sometimes.
As stated previously, a great amount of social interaction can tire introverts out, therefore at times they prefer and need to be alone in order to gain back their energy. This can come off as being distant or detached, when in reality it's simply a person's social battery needing recharging.
5. You need time to warm up to people and social situations.
You need time to develop trust with people in order to show your true colors. However, the more you warm up to people and the more they get to know you, the more your personality shows.
6. You hate small talk.
Small talk might just be the bane of your existence. It either makes you uncomfortable, bores you, or drains your energy. Talking to people about authentic topics that don't require forced interaction are quite more beneficial to introverts than anything else.
7. You don't feel the need to be a crowd pleaser.
A lot of the time, people may feel pressured to "work the room" at social gatherings and talk to every single person in the room. However, as an outgoing introvert, you may be content hanging around a smaller group of people at these events and talking with them rather than making a point to address every person in the room.
8. The "Coffee Shop Oasis"
This term simply refers to places in which you can be surrounded by people but left alone. These types of environments can be the ideal place to feel connected enough to people to not become lonely, but secluded enough to recharge and gain back energy.
9. You prefer to have a "wing-person" with you in social situations.
This does not mean that you cannot enter social situations alone or do things by yourself, but it does mean that in case the environment you're in does not provide you with energy or you don't connect with the people, you have a trusty individual to fall back on.
10. You don't want to be alone all the time, and it is possible to feel lonely.
Yes, nobody loves and appreciates alone time more than you. However, you don't need or want it all the time. Humans are naturally social creatures and need social interaction to survive. If you receive too much alone time, you may become lonely, and that isn't healthy for anyone.
