An introvert is a misunderstood creature of our society. Here, I wish to reflect upon some stereotypical curiosity that the world has about introverts…

Introverts don’t like to talk much. I am one of them. Believe me, I am unapologetic about it. All introverts own a small inner world. We love to dwell there with our thoughts and ideas as company. We enjoy our personal space.

As we remain silent in a noisy world, people around us have some strange perceptions. For instance, introverts are the saddest form of human beings that God has ever created. No, it is not true. We are not a bunch of unhappy people. We have a plethora of reasons to be happy. That’s a separate story altogether.

Here my objective is to focus upon some amusing questions which people often shoot at introverts and how I respond to them. Let’s start.

How can you have so many friends?

Introverts take a lot of time to open up and make friends. Actually, I am quite selective about people whom I call my friends. Even then, I have many friends who are out and out extroverts. Somehow, they were drawn towards this quiet girl by choice.

I guess, for talkative individuals, befriending an introvert like me is easier because I am a good listener. They feel at ease while pouring their heart out in front of us. I bond with them quite well in one-to-one, meaningful conversations. My extrovert friends never complain that I do not speak much as they find a safe haven to share their personal issues. I am the one who keeps many of their secrets under wraps.

Why do introverts worry so much?

Please don’t worry about it. You should know we are not into worrying all the time. We think deeply. There is a difference between deep thinking and worrying. While worrying, the mind reacts to thoughts mostly in a fearful manner. No anxiety is involved in deep thinking. Being an introvert, we utilize deep thinking as a process to nurture our inner quest.

What is the use of overthinking?

Introverts stay quiet and silent. If something bothers me, I may not speak up but random passing thoughts can derail my entire coping mechanism out of order. Through in-depth thinking, I seek the answers within and maintain inner peace. As a result, I don’t get restless when life throws shockers at me.

Overthinking also helps me to link a series of thoughts for a whole new creation. It can be a fresh idea, an insightful opinion or an innovative concept. It activates our creative and analytical skills. While making a crucial decision, we consider several subtle nuances which others often miss out.

Why do you stay aloof in a group?

“Mingle with your peers and you will feel better” is a piece of advice which I get quite often.

First of all, just because I am less expressive, does not mean I am not enjoying a social gathering. Second, I am bad at group talks. I prefer observing people’s responses and reactions from a distance. Please let me do that. We do not need lots of noisy interactions to keep ourselves happy. We cherish uninterrupted alone time to assimilate our experience.

If you remain so quiet, people will think you are dumb. Isn’t it?

As a young girl, I had this dilemma. Being an introvert made me socially awkward on several occasions. There was a time when I used to cringe or get upset in those situations. I did not know myself well back then.

After growing up, it does not matter what others think about me. Since I read my own thoughts with a lot of attention, I understand human perceptions change in an instant. At this moment, you may think I am a dumb and it is possible that you will think otherwise within a few minutes or seconds.

Don’t you think introverts are snobbish, selfish & egoistic?

That’s a misunderstanding people have. I refuse to agree with that. No, we don’t have any of those hazardous qualities. Apparently, we may look and behave like one. Our introspective mind keeps us simple and grounded.

In fact, introverts are quite sensitive about other people’s emotions. We have a tendency to suppress our pain in front of others. Nobody knows better than us how difficult it is to recover after your feelings get hurt. So, we are extra careful not to hurt others.

Does being introverted come in the way of a love relationship?

That depends on the person with whom I am in love with. If he needs constant verbal acknowledgement, then that relationship may not last long. If he can bank upon my non-expressive words, then it will go on forever without any hiccups.

WRAP-UP NOTE: The real purpose of sharing my opinions and feelings is to clarify that Introverts are normal people. Introversion is not a negative trait. We are unique simply because we don’t speak up and prefer to lead a quiet life.