“Would you say you’re an extrovert or more of an introvert?”

Many of us struggle with finding an answer to this question when asked. To be completely honest, I have no idea whether I lean to the extrovert versus introvert side. Sure, there are times that I can be outgoing and energized by the people around me on certain occasions. But then again, there are times that I just want to have peace and quiet and feel completely energized in my moments of solitude. So, instead of classifying myself into one of two categories, I found a not-so-known third choice that I like to go with: the ambivert.

While extroverts feel energized around people and tend to be outgoing, and while introverts feel energized by being alone, for ambiverts, it just depends. Being an extrovert doesn’t (always) make you annoying and being an introvert doesn’t make you (always) shy. There are times that I find myself in the mood to be around big crowds of people but then there are times that I shy away from large crowds. It just depends on my mood. So what’s it like to be the "ambivert"?

Being the ambivert is wonderful. While certain people only react in a certain way to situations, ambiverts have the ability to shape how we want to feel for every situation. For example, I love going to big churches where I can feel the huge sense of belongingness and faith spread around me. In another instance, I hate big parties. Both situations involve lots of people but my personal comfort zone is set at two different levels between the two totally different places. However, I prefer small parties where I can enjoy being around people I know and like, and am comfortable enough to be myself around.

Ambiverts have select places that we can be around and actually enjoy the surrounding of people. For me, I love going to nightclubs, concerts and coffee shops. I enjoy the atmosphere of these places and feel comfortable around the people that are there. However, the places I absolutely dread going to include networking events, big parties, and (at times) restaurants. Every place puts me in a different state of comfort that is affected simply by the mood I am in. Sure, I can survive networking events because I know they’re important but I’m going to thrive in the environment of a coffee shop with a close friend or two because that’s where most of my comfort lies.

Finding people to interact with is so easy for the ambivert. We can get along great with our energizing extroverted friends and surround ourselves with these people feeling totally comfortable. We can also spend numerous days alone, keeping to ourselves without the annoyance of becoming bored. Being an ambivert makes us more adaptable to certain situations. This asset also allows us to find the happy medium between extroverts and introverts. It makes us more balanced and in control of situations. We have the tendency to speak up but we know when to shut up as well. We know when it’s time to make a stand and become the leader, but we also know when it’s okay to sit back and let someone else take the reigns.

There is no right or wrong classification of a personality; so get to know the real you and ask yourself, “Am I actually an ambivert?”