Introversion and extroversion

I personally find that being fixated on a sign, personality trait or trying to fit a personality mold can be misleading and a potential self-fulfilling prophecy and therefore you can’t be true to yourself ironically. That’s just my opinion but it makes for a good talking point.

But what about when we’re working and some people think you’re unapproachable or lack teamwork because you’re in the zone or conscientious of others space? Well, you may have a case of a personality clash. Today I’m using introvert and extrovert as the subject for this example. I feel like these two are pitted against each other too often and there is a very real reason why this is. In corporate settings, extroversion has often been rewarded over being introverted, almost giving the latter a negative connotation.

That has not stopped people from making introversion a trend however. There is this obsession with how we want to be perceived that goes back to our communal nature as humans even if it is a false sense of belonging. Of course you want to be seen as cool or interesting so wanting to be introverted all of a sudden is not off the table.

This is not to say that one is better than the other by any means. That is the biggest misconception I want to address. Given that being introverted has been under attack for so long, it may appear that I’m preferring introversion. After taking evaluations such as Meyers Briggs many times over and over the years, I admittedly fall in the introverted category. Pardon me if I also speak from experience and observation.

I like to think there is a more healthy understanding as of late but it may take us a while as a whole to act on this understanding subconsciously. For example, someone may acknowledge that you may need your space but outwardly seem as if you are being off-putting. I have also seen where there was this surprise and bewilderment of how well someone who is introverted speaks or presents almost as if they are super outgoing. Introversion is not the inability to communicate or have healthy relationships more than it is the frequency someone interacts or communicates.

I would have never thought I would enjoy being a hairstylist. I’m no Chatty Cathy, but I have learned that doing my job well does not require me to be. That expectation is merely a biproduct of the salon being the hub for town gossip. Living in a transient town for more than a decade, I can happily have more meaningful interactions with my guests. This invokes further thought and specification for what inspires me the most and that’s healthy connection. After all, clients are people with jobs, specializations and skills that are beyond me. What better way to feed my intellectual curiosity than by engaging with doctors, nurses, teachers and licensed psychologists. Something as simple as talking about linguistics with people who speak differently from me or syntax with someone who speaks the same language as me, perks me up every day. None of this requires gossip or being a rocket scientist.

When making human connections with people, you can ensure your bottom line and a sense of peace knowing that you can juggle any set of personalities with sharp intuition, empathy and decisiveness. I think now, more than ever with this great social shift, we are being pushed out of our comfort zone of limitations and stuffy idealogy in regards to people who are different from us. We are being challenged to truly be inclusive and acknowledging of others whether they are extroverted or introverted, and that’s just one example.