Some of my friends on Facebook are the type who enjoy quizzes… and sometimes I hop into the fun, but most of the time, I prefer to just stay on the sidelines. However, one that a friend posted a couple of days ago caught my eye. It was one on introversion.
Last year, I read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain, so when I saw the quiz she developed to help people understand their level of introversion, I couldn’t help seeing how I rank. (See how you rank in terms of introversion here.)
Let’s just say, total introvert. (41 points worth, to be exact.) No surprise there.
But make no mistake; it’s a badge of honor. Even before I read Susan Cain’s book (which is excellent, by the way, regardless your score), I valued introversion. I’m sure it stems from my mom, who scored just as high as I did. Growing up, she was my ideal of a well-rounded woman: beautiful, brilliant, nurturing, well-read and well-educated, and able to shingle a roof along with my dad or change a tire in her Sunday best. As I grew up and realized I was naturally as introverted as she was, I worked to find the same balance she did: the ability to be friendly but not to abandon the appreciation and need for quiet.
While it’s not usually in the limelight, introversion is filled with strength — strengths that Susan Cain expresses beautifully. We think and feel deeply. We see things other people don’t. We listen well and create deep relationships. We tend to be very creative. We’re the other side of the coin, and we’re just as important as extroverts (even though they make themselves more noticeable).
So even though society trains us to feel bad about being shy, having only a handful of close friends, or preferring to stay home and watch a movie, don’t. Instead, enjoy the beauty of being an introvert and know there is strength to it. (And if you’re looking for a summer read, seriously, grab Quiet. Just talking about it makes me want to read it over again.)
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How did you score on the quiz? What do you think of you intro/extroversion?
The Everyday Epic 