Extroverts are definitely a different breed of people. As I got older, I became a huge extrovert and have found many issues with the characteristics that come with my personality. Many people do not realize the struggles that we face, so here is just a few that come to mind!
1. FOMO.
FOMO= Fear Of Missing Out. The second I hear about a social gathering, I instantly want to come. It does not matter what time or day it is, I am always ready. Because of this, I have a really hard time saying no to anyone when they ask to hang out. This leads me to major procrastination with my school work, and many late nights spent making memories with people. And it isn't that I feel bad saying no to people, I just truly do not want to turn down any opportunities. I go where the people go.
2. Forcing yourself to spend time alone.
I am jealous of introverts for their ability to spend time alone and feel content doing so. As an extrovert, I struggle with spending time with myself. I can handle it for a little, but I tend to want to hang out with someone after just a few minutes of being alone. I count alone time as being with one person and doing something relaxing, such as watching a movie. Extroverts just struggle with being alone for long periods of time, which can lead us to feeling lows very low, due to not giving ourselves time to process emotions. This can be dangerous for our mental health, so sometimes we have to force ourselves to be alone.
3. Too much energy to focus.
A lot of the time, I find myself with way too much energy to focus on things I need to get done. Extroverts have a very difficult time losing their energy, especially when they are with their group of close friends. This leads to poor time management skills and a whole lot of inner-conflict. I focus best on projects I need to get done when I am alone because the second I am with someone, I want to talk to them and focus my attention on our surroundings.
4. Feeling annoying.
Sometimes extroverts do realize that they are talking too much, laughing too loud, or just too interested in someone's life. I promise that sometimes we do realize that we may be a little annoying, we just do not know how to not be sometimes. Some have it worse than others, but we can usually pick up clues that we need to calm down a little bit in social situations. I tend to personally feel like I can sometimes annoy my introverted friends, so I am working on giving them more space.
5. Getting too invested in others.
Along with feeling like the whole world is annoyed by us, extroverts also can get a little too invested in the people in our lives. This is mostly because we tend to focus on others more than ourselves, and can get caught up in what those we care about are going through. I am able to relate to others really well, and can actually feel the pain that they are carrying sometimes. I have become depressed many times due to those I am close to that are depressed about something.
6. Getting bored easily.
Most extroverts live off of excitement and fun. If we are alone or stuck somewhere, we have a hard time enjoying it. We are constantly looking forward to the next time we are going to have fun and enjoy ourselves. This is a big reason why we like being around people, they excite us.
7. Not liking quiet atmospheres.
I cannot be anywhere ever that is completely silent. I feel uncomfortable. Even when I sleep, I need white noise. When I study, I need music. When I am hanging out somewhere, I need to hear others and be able to talk. Extroverts fear silence. It just isn't our ideal situation.
8. Clinginess.
Sometimes I find myself wanting to hang out with someone immediately after we hung out once. This helps me get close to others, but also can make me come across as clingy. Extroverts struggle with being a little too close and friendly with some people who truly need space. This makes us push others away, and is the reason why we have a few close friends despite the big number of people that we associate with.
9. Having to always entertain.
One of the hardest things about being an extrovert is always having to be the entertainer. Yes, we love people. But sometimes it is still hard to be around a lot of people when we have a lot going on. I find that even when I am anxious, sad, or stressed out that I am still cracking jokes and laughing. We have to always be the ones to carry conversations and put smiles on other's faces, which can sometimes be incredibly challenging. Sometimes we just need to be asked if we are okay too, even when we have a smile on our face. Just because we gain energy by being around people does not mean we are happy all of the time, despite if it may seem like we are.
10. Feeling easily overwhelmed.
Most extroverts can agree with me when I say that being overwhelmed is something that happens often. We tend to ignore our issues until they bottle up and explode. When I am even a little stressed out, I freak out and feel like I am going crazy. Extroverts are often confused why they feel the way that they do, since they do not spend much time pondering their thoughts daily.
Of course, there are many strengths to being an extrovert that make me proud to be one. But there are so many times when I wish that I was an introvert, because so many struggles come up having to do with my personality alone. If you are an extrovert, remember to take care of yourself. I know how hard it is, but it is way more important than we realize. Learn to spend some time alone and really reflect on your thoughts and feelings. Keep giving to others, but give to yourself too once in a while. You are such a light, so keep shining.
