16 Honest Tweets All Introverts Need To Read Right Now

Sarah Bourassa
Updated

If you’re an introvert, you value your alone time. You tend to think before you speak. You’d much rather socialize one-on-one than in a group. A phone call is probably your worst nightmare. But most of all, you are silently strong.

It can be tough to prefer being alone in a world that values gregariousness and sociability. But take heart, quiet types: Twitter has your back. Each month, we round up spot-on tweets that capture what it’s like to be an introvert. Scroll down for our latest batch.

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2. Introverts don't like to be around people.

Although introverts do generally need -- and enjoy -- more solitude than their extroverted counterparts, the idea that introverts are antisocial or don't want the company of others is completely false. They just tend to enjoy social interaction in a different way than extroverts do. “There are a lot of negative labels placed on introverts -- socially anxious, don’t like people, judgmental (because we sit quietly)," says Dembling. "Introverts may prefer one-on-one interaction ... we might enjoy large parties but want to sit and watch the action from the sidelines. Extroverts may interpret this as not wanting to have fun, but this observation<em> is </em>fun for an introvert." Introversion shouldn't be confused with misanthropy -- introverts do like people, but they typically favor quality over quantity in their relationships, choosing to focus on creating a smaller circle of close friends rather than a large network of acquaintances. “I like to say that we may like people more than extroverts because we take the time to get to know them ... It’s just a completely different style,” says Dembling.

3. Introverts don't make good leaders or public speakers.

Many introverts enjoy and excel in roles that involve leading others, speaking publicly, and being in the spotlight. Bill Gates, Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi and countless other leaders through history have been classified as introverts. These leaders may also foster a better team environment, as <a href="http://amj.aom.org/content/early/2012/07/20/amj.2011.0316.full.pdf" target="_hplink">research has shown</a> they might work better in groups than extroverts do. And <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2006-06-06-shy-ceo-usat_x.htm" target="_hplink">according to USA Today</a>, roughly four in 10 top executives test as introverts. <a href="http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-01-28/national/36587180_1_extroverts-introverts-extroversion" target="_hplink">Research</a> has found that individuals of both personality types can be well-suited to leadership and sales roles. "The good news ... is that in some sense we are all born to sell and equipped to lead," <a href="http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-01-28/national/36587180_1_extroverts-introverts-extroversion" target="_hplink">writes author Daniel Pink in a Washington Post blog.</a> "And that means a hidden but urgent challenge for organizations of every kind is to shatter the stereotype of who’s an effective leader." And when it comes to public speaking, introverts aren't the shrinking violets they're often thought to be, and they might actually have the upper hand over extroverts. Because introverts focus on preparing projects and thinking things through thoroughly before acting, they can be excellent speakers, says Dembling. Susan Cain's charismatically delivered <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0KYU2j0TM4" target="_hplink">TED talk on the power of introverts</a>, for instance, was one of the fastest TED videos ever to reach one million views -- and it's just one of countless examples.

4. Introverts have more negative personalities.

Because they actually <em>like </em>being alone, introverts are sometimes stereotyped as having more depressive or negative-slanting personalities. This misconception likely stems from the fact that extroverts -- who gain their energy from social interaction -- might feel sad when they don't spend enough time with people, Dembling says. "When extroverts are in an introverted place for too long, spending time alone or being quiet, they can report feeling sad and depressed," says Dembling. “Because they feel sad when they’re alone, maybe they therefore think we feel sad when we’ve been alone. That misconception is coming from a genuine concern, but it’s more putting their feelings on us.” Most introverts don't connect solitude with loneliness, unless it becomes excessive. That being said, although introverts do not innately have more depressive personalities, they do tend to spend more time thinking and analyzing -- and if this turns to ruminating, it could potentially <a href="http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov05/cycle.aspx" target="_hplink">lead to depression</a>. "There’s a definite link between rumination and depression," says Dembling. "Because introverts do like thinking and being alone, we need to keep ourselves in check.”

6. It's easy to tell whether someone is introverted or extroverted.

Many introverts could easily go out to a cocktail party and talk up everyone in the room -- and they may enjoy themselves doing it. But at the end of the day, they'll look forward to restoring their energy by coming home and reading in bed with a cup of tea. Given our culture's <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-power-of-introverts" target="_hplink">bias towards extroverted personality traits</a>, many introverts have become accustomed to being the wolf in sheep's clothing -- behaving like an extrovert in social situations, and perhaps acting more outspoken and gregarious than they feel on the inside. Or they may enjoy the social interaction and attention, but later crave time alone to recover. “Most introverts are very good at behaving like extroverts," says Dembling. "A lot of us are out there behaving as extroverts ... but then we have to shut it down. I call it my ‘dog and pony show.’ But then you have to be quiet and regain your energy for the next time. The long I’m out there putting on the show, the longer I need to recuperate.” "Introverts really do like people and we like socializing," Dembling says. "We just like it in different ways than extroverts."

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.