We hear the phrase ‘bubbly personality‘ quite often as a catchall descriptor for upbeat, positive, and chipper people. The definition, according to the Collins Dictionary, is:
Someone who is bubbly is very lively and cheerful and talks a lot.
Let’s think about how these qualities manifest, and how you can define somebody as bubbly and cope with that outgoing personality if you are an introvert.
Signs of a Bubbly Personality
Bubbly is a great word; it brings to mind fizzy pop, excitement, and energy. Typically, this is thought of as a positive characteristic.
However, for quiet introverts, coping with a bubbly person can be stressful. Signs that you’ve met a bubbly person, or indeed that you are one, include:
1. People Mistaking Positivity for Lack of Intelligence
If someone always appears to be full of sunshine and rainbows, this can be mistaken for low intelligence, which often is not the case.
This is likely because of unintentional bias towards those who seem to view every scenario through rose-tinted glasses, perhaps perceiving that they do so because they don’t understand the full picture.
2. Living to Make New Friends
A bubbly person thrives in social situations and will think nothing of approaching a stranger to start a conversation. Their tendency towards enthusiasm can feel overwhelming for some people, and others can be intimidated by being approached by somebody they don’t know.
3. Embarrassing Themselves Is Normal
Along with enthusiasm comes a tendency for clumsiness – think about an excitable kid, and how often they trip over their feet with the rush to try something new.
Most bubbly people don’t let that bother them, though, and are used to dealing with minor embarrassments. Often, this is because of saying something out of place or approaching a situation with an energy that isn’t appropriate.
4. They’ll Make You Laugh Every Day
A sunny attitude brings a lot of positivity into a relationship. If you’re close to a bubbly person, they will go out of their way to spread the sunshine and make you smile.
Sometimes, those efforts can be poorly received, but by and large, the intention is always good.
5. They Strive After Their Goals
Positivity isn’t just a characteristic that reflects outwards to try and make other people feel just as upbeat. Bubbly people often have high aspirations because they will spend time focusing on possibilities and potential instead of risks and barriers to success.
Sometimes that might result in not thinking through a plan well enough, but it does mean that bubbly people are more likely to achieve their goals, with their never-ending energy and drive.
6. Everybody Has a Positive – and They Will Find It
We can’t all be happy all of the time, but a bubbly person will always actively seek out the positives.
Whether that be by learning lessons from failures, highlighting the best characteristics in people they meet, or trying to salvage something joyful from a problematic situation, they will always be looking for the plus points.
Introverts vs Extroverts
Bubbly people aren’t necessarily extroverts but do display similar characteristics.
Having a bubbly friend can be great in many ways, but it can be difficult if you are introverted. Introverts are usually private, quiet, and a little reticent, which is in stark contrast to an enthusiastic person’s outgoing confidence.
These two personality types can complement each other beautifully – or can clash horribly. This is because they are on opposite ends of the scale, which means that they are likely to have different viewpoints, different emotional reactions, and different needs from a relationship. However, it can be a match made in heaven.
Here are some top tips to help introverts cope with bubbly people:
Communication, communication, communication.
You have opposite reactions to social situations, so you need to understand each other to ensure you can compromise and find a happy medium. For example, if one of you hates unexpected phone calls, but the other loves to chat for hours, agree a time in advance, and who will call who.
Spend time together wisely.
If you feel that your energy is drained and you are mentally exhausted from spending time with a bubbly person, build in enough time to decompress, and have valuable alone time. Should you be spending a day together, ask for half an hour to walk or relax in the bath to avoid becoming overwhelmed.
Don’t rush your conversations.
Introverts need time to think before they feel ready to discuss something. In contrast, extroverts tend to think chaotically and find it easier to ‘think out loud’ to process their feelings and reactions. Both are equally valid, so when discussing sensitive topics, it is necessary to give each other the space to think things over or air their thought processes.
Compromise your social activities.
Introverts find large social gatherings and busy places stressful, whereas extroverts thrive on parties and networking. If you’re attending an event together, agree the time that you’ll leave, and stick to it. As an introvert, you’ll have the assurance of a finite ‘cut-off’ point, and as an extrovert, you’ll know how long you have to use the power of your personality.
Finding the right balance is all about sharing your feelings honestly, communicating what makes you feel happy, and what makes you feel uncomfortable – and compromising to ensure that you can meet both your needs satisfactorily.
Remember; opposites can experience a powerful attraction. If you can meet in the middle, it might just be magic.
References:
