If you have ever met me you would know that I am an extrovert by far. Yet all my friends so far have been introverted. That isn’t a big deal to me but we do have conflicting personalities that I have to keep in mind and have learned about. So here’s Six Things I’ve learned being friends with introverts!
1. Recharge time
As an extrovert, I can be on the go for days at a time and love to be doing something all the time. Introverts cannot do that. They need time to be alone and recharge, which is totally fine! Just most of the time they won’t tell you their social battery is running low. That’s why I learned the signs each of my friends has for when they are starting to run low and I will call it a day.
2. Ordering things
My friends tend to not like talking to other people who they are not comfortable around. This is why I took up ordering things for them or asking for extra ketchup. Most of the time they don’t ask me to do this, I will just ask what they are thinking of getting then get it for them before they have the chance. They usually seem relieved that I do that even though they hate when I get them stuff. I still will though because I like spoiling my favorite humans.
3. Deciding what to do
This can be an issue because I love adventures and am very okay with crowds as to where they might not be all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I have taken my friends to concerts or the zoo or the city, which is all very crowded, but they cannot handle that all the time. I have learned sometimes it’s best to just stay in and play video games or watch movies.
4. Try new things
Introverts tend to like their blanket nests and staying inside reading the day away. That is totally fine! I just also love showing them new amazing things in life. A lot of the time I make the plans with them because even though they might want to hang out they also don’t usually make the plans.
That is why I have the goal of doing something new with them every chance I get. My best friend and I had a mission last summer to do something every week, yes she is still introverted but I got her to come out of her shell on more than one occasion.
5. Nonverbal signs and meanings
Another thing I got very good at is picking up nonverbal signs from them. I could tell when they needed time to recharge or are getting uncomfortable with the situation we were in. This is a good thing to learn so that you know you aren’t pushing them too much and that they are still having a good time. Like my best friend will go quiet when she is started to need to recharge and I know to say we should get food then head home for the day.
6. Usually, there is some form of anxiety
Most of the introverts I have met have had anxiety in one form or another. It’s best if you know how to help them when something makes them anxious. The best ways I have learned is to make a warm yummy drink, wrap them in a blanket, and put on their favorite movie. Or if you are my best friend put on video games and let them kill their way outta anxiety in siege.
7. Every extrovert needs an introvert
Extroverts need introverts to teach them how to just chill out sometimes. Introverts need extroverts to push them to do things they might not do otherwise. They are basically like Yin and Yang.
