Pros and Cons of Being an Introvert

Introvert, extrovert and ambivert; you've probably heard of these terms before. Introverts might prefer to spend most of their time alone. The opposite of extroverts; who might prefer to spend their time socializing. Even though the main two terms used are introvert and extrovert, but ambivert is sometimes used as well; someone who maintains a balance between the features of introverts and extroverts.

Even though these terms are used as personality types, keep in mind that each human is unique and obviously not all introverts act the same way.

Okay, so getting into the topic, let's first discuss some of the pros of being an introvert:

1. You value your relationships and strive to create a strong bond with the people you care about:

It might sometimes be hard for introverts to maintain friendships or relationships with people because they sometimes just cannot keep up with the level of demand for interaction to maintain them. So, if they find someone who understands this aspect of their nature and effort is made from both ends, strong bonds can be created.

2. You develop good listening skills:

Now if you are the type of introvert that tends to take more from a conversation than add to it, you end up developing good listening skills. If you're someone who really doesn't talk much in a conversation, you end up listening more and that can be really advantageous for you. You absorb in lots of information and overall it's just comes off as being friendly because if one is talking and one is listening it just creates a nice balance.

3. You develop good observational skills:

When there is peace and quiet, obviously the human mind tends to pay more attention to its surroundings and atmosphere. As introverts like to stay in places where there isn't much noise or people, they tend to be more observant of their surroundings. Also, even if an introvert goes to a gathering or something, they would rather be observing more things rather than mingling with other people.

4. You get to do a lot of self-analysis:

As an introvert, you most likely keep judging your own self from time to time. If this is kept in balance and it doesn't evolve into over-thinking, self-analysis can be a good thing for you.

5. You save some money:

Now, hear me out on this one. You actually do end up saving money if you're an introvert. You don't really need to go out to have some fun nor do you enjoy going to parties or places with crowds. So, you end up staying at home. You only have to give gifts to the people who are close to you and you don't spend that much money on clothing because meh, it's not like you go out too much (hey, but if you do like buying clothes and dressing up, good for you!). You don't go out with your friends to eat too often, that can save you some money as well. So, all in all, it's a win for you there when it comes to saving some extra cash.

Okay, so after the pros of being an introvert comes the cons of being an introvert:

1. Your self-analysis may turn into over-thinking:

As I've stated before, self-analysis is something that may be a positive aspect of your personality. However, if it slowly starts to get out hand it can lead to over-thinking or self-loathing which can really end up hurting you emotionally. So, try to keep this in check. When you start to get negative thoughts in your head, just blur them out and try to focus on the positive aspects.

2. You sometimes question why you're like this:

I know I've asked myself this quite a few times and it is, "Why can't I enjoy going out or feel comfortable in having conversations with people just like other people?". So, you might get frustrated with this and wonder how it would feel if you were just naturally more open and outgoing. However, I believe being an introvert isn't something that should be fixed because it is just an aspect of your personality just like how being an extrovert is. It makes up a part of who you are.

3. Making and maintaining friendships is hard:

Yes, I have always struggled with this particular point. Even if you do end up talking to people, you're just not as socially active as others so this just makes you drift away from others. Sometimes you're just shy and people misread it as you not wanting to maintain the friendship with them. In reality though, you just don't want to annoy them or inconvenience them.

4. You can't start or hold conversations:

Well, most introverts find it hard to start conversations with people they don't know. It's just an uncomfortable experience for them and they just feel nervous. This can sometimes be misunderstood as having an "attitude" or being full of themselves but we all know that is not the case at all. This can be worked on and just be yourself and anyone who genuinely wants to talk to you will make an effort to do so. (With that being said, you should try to make an effort as well of course.)

5. You can sometimes feel lonely:

While people such as introvert like being alone, no one likes being lonely. It's just not a pleasant feeling. So, being an introvert, being alone for a long time can really make you feel lonely at times. It's completely natural and it's a feeling that almost everyone experiences at some point of their lives. So, you could just enjoy spending time alone but also try to go and socialize (or just take a walk or observe nature) so at least you don't experience a sense of loneliness.

So, these are the pros and cons of being an introvert. Are you an introvert or extrovert? What do you think are the pros and cons of your personality type? Comment down below!