I Used To Be Ashamed To Be An Introvert. Here’s Why

And the lessons I’ve learned since finding myself

Growing up I had the wrong idea of what it meant to be an introvert and it all revolved around one thing: Being anti-social.

• It meant I wasn’t and could never be likable as long as this was my personality. ❌
• It meant I was unfriendly and seen as a party pooper who no one wanted to be around. ❌
• It meant my opportunities to succeed in the future would be limited since no one wanted to work with, date, or be friends with a quiet, contemplative, boring person. ❌

These perspectives made me quite insecure and I spent many years asking myself why I couldn’t be different, be more like other people around me.

Sometimes no matter how many hacks, tips, and tricks you master, sustained growth will come only with the passage of time. ⏳

With time, I began to learn more about my personality.

💡 I learned where my energy comes from and how it gets depleted.

💡 I figured out how to use my quirks, calmness, and powers of observation to my advantage, and this has been a benefit to my career and writing journey.

💡I learned how to build strong mutually beneficial relationships with people around me (one person at a time 😅), even if and especially when we had differing personalities.

The result is that I no longer feel small when others try to shame me for my personality. I love who I am and I appreciate the many varied personalities of the people around me.

Curious. Did it take you some time to accept your unique personality for what it is? What have you learned from this journey of self-discovery? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.