Sunday, March 10, 2013

Me Brain!

So I came across a picture. This glorious picture that rather sums up my entire existance. You see, I'm a text book introvert. And it's not a bad thing. I like being an introvert. The thing is that society is based on extroverts. Introverts are like clams. On the outside they're boring. An average color. And they can be very difficult to crack open. But tickle their fancy a bit and HOLY CRAP! A pearl! We do have thoughts and opinions (as the above picture indicates) and sometimes they're dang awesome. (And sometimes they're duds, but hey, someone will love them.)

I have come to a conclusion. About my brain. It goes to 2 extremes when talking to people (and the more attractive I find a person, the worse it gets). Sometimes, I freeze. My brain becomes Antarctica. I. can't. talk. Nothing comes to my mind except awkward giggles and "yeah" "oh, that's cool". I become less exciting than a head of iceberg lettuce. Either that or I get diarrhea. No, not that kind. Diarrhea of the mouth. I talk too loud, my laugh is obnoxious, and I ramble on excessively about everything. Some recent examples are horses, burlap, duck dynasty, and my cockatiels. All the while my victim sits there, probably thinking something along the lines of  "shut up, shut up, shut up". It kinda sucks. Is anyone else out there like this? Am I the only unfortunate soul. Oh dear. I shouldn't have said that. "POOR UNFORTUNATE SOULSSSS SO SAAAAD SO TRUE!!!!!!!!" Jonas Brothers flashback. Good ghandi.

Well before I let you scamper away. Please look at this list I found of 10 myths about introverts. If you or someone you know is suffering from introvertism, this will help you to understand.

(I found this on a blog entitle "I just saw things and they are weird"
Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.
This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say. They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.

Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.
Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert. Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.

Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.
Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest. Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.

Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.
On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have. They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.

Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.
Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG. They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities. They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.

Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.
Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot. They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve. But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere connection with ONE PERSON at a time.

Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.
Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd. They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm. They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.

Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.
Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.

Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.
Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places. Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.

Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.
A world without Introverts would be a world with few scientists, musicians, artists, poets, filmmakers, doctors, mathematicians, writers, and philosophers. That being said, there are still plenty of techniques an Extrovert can learn in order to interact with Introverts. (Yes, I reversed these two terms on purpose to show you how biased our society is.) Introverts cannot “fix themselves” and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.


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