Ever get the feeling that being an introvert is not a good thing? Do you feel you’re missing out a lot in life because you are reflective or reserved rather than outgoing and expressive? Don’t be. On the contrary, there are many reasons being an introvert is awesome. Below are some reasons you should celebrate rather than get worked up about who you are:
1. You thrive in solo scenarios.
Introverts are comfortable in being alone not because they don’t like people, but they perform well solo. You can give them free rein on whatever projects they handle. They make great colleagues because of their ability and reliability at work. Don’t stress yourself out if people get the wrong idea about you. It’s all too common for introverts to be thought of as snobbish or aloof, but the truth might be that you aren’t as at home among people you don’t know very well, and you are probably just more productive when you handle things yourself.
2. You cultivate meaningful relationships.
Introverts placing value on quality over quantity when it comes to their relationships in life, and we don’t just mean their love lives. They’d rather have few close friends than extend their circles to people they don’t know well. Small talk might not be something you do very well, but when the chips are down and it’s time to have a heart-to-heart with someone who knows you and will truly listen, your friends all know who to go to. So don’t feel bad if you only have a few select friends. What matters here is having friends you can count on for life, not how many you can “count.”
3. You’re a good adviser.
Thanks to their tendency to analyze experiences in life as well as their naturally stellar listening skills, introverts make good advisers to family, friends, and colleagues. They’re able to assess different sides of any situation and come up with the best possible options. They are also thoughtful about choosing their words, so they often serve as the voice of reason, cautioning people to take good, hard looks before leaping over any of life’s crevasses. People value your thoughts and opinions, all the more because you often wait until it counts to share them.
4. #YOLO your way.
While most people think of enjoying life as seizing the day and not thinking about tomorrow, but introverts make the most of life and their experiences in a different way. They tend to think long and hard before doing anything. If you’re like that, it doesn’t mean you’re boring or averse to risk and adventure, just that you only make smart decisions to make the most of your time, money, and efforts. To you, the YOLO (you only live once) philosophy isn’t about trying crazy things for the sake of trying them; you prefer to say that because YOLO, life and the time you have is precious and not to be wasted on mistakes you simply didn’t think through.
5. You are creative and draw on a rich imagination.
People all too often dismiss introverts as weird or awkward, but that’s reflects more on their misunderstanding of your uniqueness and originality than on you. Because introverts take the time to look at the world from different angles, they’re able to come up with ways to do things differently—and, often, better than accepted norms. It’s true, you can sometimes live in your head a little too much, but that’s because your brain is constantly firing up with new ideas. Don’t be afraid to be different or to try things just to see how they work out; people who think like you gave us penicillin and Harry Potter, sent people to the moon, and more. Remember that not being great at selling your ideas doesn’t necessarily mean your ideas aren’t great.
Of course, it does help smooth things along in your life if you can make the effort to get along with others. But that doesn’t mean that you should deny your introverted awesomeness and all that comes with it. Sure, you might not be the life of the party, but you might just find that life is more interesting, freeing, and productive when you don’t feel the need to take center stage. You are a beautiful, strong, talented person with a lot to give the world. That not everyone sees that is not your fault. Wear those introvert stripes loud and proud.