How Being An Introvert Has Challenged Me To Become My Best Self

From an early age, I have always known that there was something about me that sets me apart from others. I wasn’t able to acknowledge what made me so “different” until I learned a word that I now realize has been an enormous part of my life and how I interact with others: introvert.

Growing up, I was always the kid on the playground who sat alone or brought a book to read during recess. I’ve never been one to have a big group of friends and I find myself craving at least one night every weekend to rest at home in bed.

Does being an introvert mean that I am not living my life to the fullest? In some respects, yes, however, my introversion has also meant that I excel in other aspects of my life as well.

In order to describe what being an introvert means to me, we must first define what being classified as an introvert actually consists of. According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, “introvert” is defined as “to turn inward or in upon itself.”

I can identify with this definition of introvert, as I have found that I am one to internally reflect and think, rather than actually voicing my opinions and interacting with others.

Being introverted has always made socializing challenging. Personally, my introversion goes hand and hand with my social anxiety, which made finding a group of friends in high school nearly impossible. After feeling as if I was letting my introversion control my life, I decided to take a chance and quite literally force myself to go out with a group of casual acquaintances from school.

Although it felt off-putting at first, I then realized how much I had been missing by staying home and isolating myself from people who wanted to get to know me. It was that very night in which I found my group of friends, a group that has become one of the best things to ever happen to me. Although some nights I find it difficult to find motivation to leave my bed and be around many people, I have learned that I must take my life into my own hands. Now, I am not completely invalidating being an introvert, as I love many of the qualities that my introversion affords me. Being an introvert has allowed me to sharpen my observation skills, and I find that I often pick up on things that many others seldom realize.

My introversion has also contributed to my love of reading and writing, as my knack for critical thinking and reasoning has become an added bonus academically. Being introverted, with all of its drawbacks, is an amazing thing. It has taught me about who I am and how I see the world. Although being an introvert in an extroverted world can present a challenge, I have learned to look at it as an opportunity to work even harder to become the person that I am today.