As an extrovert, you probably enjoy meeting new people and are blessed with the cunning ability to communicate with others efficiently. You love going to large social gatherings and don’t mind being the center of attention. Conversation flows effortlessly, and you can talk nonstop for hours, about anything, with anyone you meet.. That is, with everyone except introverts. In that case, you are doing most of the story telling while the other person responds with a few sentences, even just a few words, at a time. Introverts leave you confused, you don’t understand why they aren’t talking more. Are they stuck-up? Shy? Mad? Anti-social? Not interested? Why don’t they just say SOMETHING? You demand they talk more, “stop being so quiet, I almost forgot you were here,” you’ll exclaim.
Hearing these things can honestly be offensive to some, especially if they are said in a demeaning tone. It is basically disregarding the authentic qualities of their personality, craving instead an insincere replication of being loud and outgoing. Truth be told, the reason introverts aren’t talking to you usually isn’t from whatever reason you construct based off of their superficial expressions. It’s because their brain is hardwired differently than yours and therefore, they perceive situations differently than you. Do not think negatively of introverts for their lack of ability to be as outgoing as you are, because for some, it doesn’t come that easily. It’s difficult for them to think of witty comebacks off the bat, and make small talk about their day, and they physically don’t have the capability to scream with excitement and jump into your arms when they see you across the room.
Introverts are constantly wondering what other people think about them, because a lot of times, people do form the wrong impression. This is understandable since it can sometimes be a challenge to get to know an introvert. They struggle to compare to the high-level of social interaction that an extrovert displays and wish they had the ability to strike up a random conversation with a stranger at a party. On the flip side, an introvert may also not be talking simply because they don’t feel the need to say anything. Oftentimes they believe their additional input in a conversation is not always needed; they find beauty in a comfortable silence that fills a room and enjoys alone time in their own thoughts. More often than not, they are the ones that “listen,” rather than “speak,” and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Since you are extroverted, introverts find it extremely important that you understand where they are coming from. Take the extra initiative to get to know them, because it isn’t always as easy as it is with others. Don’t assume that they aren’t talking because they hate you or are shy, most of the time they just don’t know how to start a conversation. Also be mindful that some introverts DON’T always want to talk. Respect their peaceful stance and don’t find it abnormal to not be filling every waking moment with conversation. We are all human: we have diverse personalities and express ourselves differently, and it’s imperative that we respect that everyone is their own original version.
