An introvert is a person with qualities of a personality type known as introversion, which means that they feel more comfortable focusing on their inner thoughts and ideas, rather than what's happening externally. They enjoy spending time with just one or two people, rather than large groups or crowds.
This is why introverts often enjoy hobbies like reading and writing. While extroverts may struggle engaging with an activity that requires them to be alone, introverts love hobbies that allow them to explore big ideas in isolation. In their careers, introverts tend to do best on work they can complete alone.
Introversion is a disposition that manifests in different degrees, but with a tendency towards introspection, solitude, quietness, perfectionism, overthinking, writing better than we speak, and preferring deep conversation to small talk.
Introverts often deal with unique mental health challenges. They may struggle with feelings of isolation or depression, and can be perfectionists to a fault. However, introverts also have many strengths that should be celebrated and can help protect your mental health.
Preferred Activities
Introverts enjoy activities they can do alone or with just a few others. So, it's not surprising that so many introverted, gifted children love to read. They also tend to prefer activities that allow for creative expression, like creative writing, music, and art.
Introverts tend to prefer deep and meaningful relationships over a large social circle. Being an introvert, you know only too well how to spend time alone. But it's also important to have social interaction—it might just look a little different to someone who's an extrovert.
On average, introverts and extroverts are the same in terms of intelligence. But statistics show that around 70% of gifted people are introverts. People are considered “gifted” when they exhibit above-average intelligence or a superior talent for something, such as music, art or math.
You're an introvert.
It gets better. As an adult, you now leverage your strength for processing, contemplating and thinking things over, which is a trait of highly intelligent people. In fact, more than 75 percent of people with an IQ above 160 are introverted.
Strengths: creativity, problem-solving, listening, empathy, focus, persistence. Weaknesses: social anxiety, shyness, navigating a predominantly extroverted world.
Being an introvert is often considered weak. They aren't quite as good as the extroverts, who just seem to breeze through life. But that's not true, there is nothing wrong with being an introvert. The main problem is with society, which doesn't see it in the same way.
Being an introvert is naturally attractive because others can trust them with their secrets and vulnerabilities. The type of confidence people have in introverts makes them stand out from the crowd.
Why do introverts overthink? Probably because our brains are busier than a stadium on game day. In one study, researchers found that introverts had higher levels of electrical activity in their brains than extroverts.
An introvert is a person with qualities of a personality type known as introversion, which means that they feel more comfortable focusing on their inner thoughts and ideas, rather than what's happening externally. They enjoy spending time with just one or two people, rather than large groups or crowds.
Introverts show their love by making you their go-to person for almost everything. Be it something happy or sad, the first person they want to confide in is you. You are the first person they want to share their feelings with because you probably have a great influence on this person's life and you on theirs.
According to relationship therapist Tracy Ross, LCSW, introvert-extrovert relationships are pretty common, and that might be in light of humans craving balance. “Introverts and extroverts are attracted to each other because of the differences,” says Ross.
Are you born introverted or is it something you become over time? Introverts likely develop due to a combination of both nature and nurture. The way that your body's physiology responds to the outside environment plays a critical role in determining your level of extroversion and introversion.
No correlation (positive or negative) exists between intelligence and shyness.
Introverts are actually great team leaders, but they are also successful when working independently. Since introverts have often struggled to get their true talents seen and appreciated, they are generally quite respectful of the different working styles and preferences of others. Introverts don't give up easily.
“Most introverts need to think first and talk later.” When it comes to sex, this means that introverts are observing and dissecting everything that's going on, which is just as tiring as the physical act itself.
As introverts are thinking, they reach back into long-term memory to locate information. An introvert will often compare old and new experiences when making a decision, which slows the processing down but leads to carefully thought-out decisions.
Introverts enjoy spending time in nature as it makes them feel more grounded and at peace. Being surrounded by the smell of rain feels like a piece of nature is with them inside the comfort of their own home. This sense of being grounded is important, as many superficial conversations can remove this feeling for them.
As a result, it's very easy to see why most classical music fans might be introverts. A recent study in Psych Central reports that rock and heavy metal fans are also creative and not particularly outgoing, and classifies a large portion of listeners to these genres as introverts.
Not all introverts are the same.
Whenever we think of introverts, we usually think of someone with a shy nature, who is not quite chatty or talkative. Yet, some introverts seem to be pretty talkative. Still, this kind of introvert needs personal time to recharge their batteries.
Why did God make introverts? At least one reason God made introverts is to model spiritual intimacy. In the Kingdom of God, introversion is not primarily about “being alone” but “being with” God. God loves us and He wants us to get closer to him.