Happy world introvert day! It is celebrated today, on January 2.
Maybe it’s the first time you hear about it, so you might be wondering: who came up with the idea of such a celebration? It was German psychologist Felicitas Heyne who was the first to suggest dedicating a special day to the power of introverts in 2011.
Since then, the quiet ones all over the world have been celebrating their unique personal qualities on January 2 despite the fact that many of those still remain vastly underestimated in our extroverted society.
Introverts and the pandemic
There have been so many articles written about the specific powers and advantages of the introverted personality that it doesn’t make sense to repeat the same things once again.
However, the truth is that over the course of the past year, the world saw the hidden assets of introversion in all their glory. In essence, people all over the globe were forced into a lone wolf’s lifestyle, and for many, it was a real challenge.
Introverts were proven to be better prepared for lockdowns and social distancing measures as many aspects of this new reality had already been a part of their normal daily lives. We had been shopping online and ordering food through an app long before it became the only available option.
But another undeniable truth is that extroverts still remained extroverts and just learned to adapt to the ever-changing requirements of the authorities – the same way the quiet ones had been living in the extroverted society all these years.
After all, one’s personality type in terms of introversion/extroversion is an innate trait that relies on a person’s brain function. A reserved individual gains energy from solitary activities while someone with an outgoing personality needs social contact to feel happy and recharged.
Thus, an introvert can become more sociable but will never turn into an extrovert. They will always have the need to withdraw after social interaction. Similarly, an extrovert can learn to entertain themselves at home and do without too many social activities but will never become an introvert.
Let’s celebrate our personalities on world introvert day (and every day)!
So what’s my point here? Today is world introvert day, so it makes sense to celebrate the positive qualities of the quiet ones. Please do if you are an introvert and are proud of your personality traits!
But the same is true for extroverts too – they have many powerful traits that are worth admiring (and to be honest, sometimes, we even envy them a little bit). So I guess my point here is that we all should celebrate our unique personalities, regardless of where we are on the introversion/extroversion spectrum.
It’s awesome if you strive to become a better person and make conscious attempts to improve certain aspects of your character. However, trying to fit yourself into the socially accepted mold to become someone you are not is a whole different story.
Trying to develop certain qualities and behaviors in order to be more likable or acceptable to others is not the answer. Making the most of your personality is what will lead you to a truly fulfilling life.
Only fully accepting yourself and tailoring your life around your personality (not the other way round) can bring you genuine happiness and success.
And this is true for both introverts and extroverts.
Once again, happy world introvert day!
