Sooooooooooooo many people laugh at me when I tell them I am an introvert. They just don’t think its possible. I am outgoing and personable and generally the life of the party.
And scared $#_%less. Afraid I will be found out. Afraid you might know me.
It is really hard to fathom that an outgoing person could be so insecure and afraid of people knowing who they really are. The picture I have placed before you is so much more interesting that I could ever be, so how about you enjoy it instead.
Scouring the internet to find an easy way of explaining this was not easy. But I did find this article helpful in explaining it/me:
Extroverted Introverts are a tough study. They’re real introverts, but they’ve grown an external persona as a public image. This persona is specifically adapted to the career environment. They’re so good, in some cases, that you may not even meet the real person, because there’s no opportunity to see through the public image.
The EI is perhaps one of the most complex of all the four types. They are actually introverts, and the external image is a defensive and offensive measure. The EI uses their public image as a method of career advancement, and they’re much more likely to be real careerists.
EIs are experts at personal appearances and self-promotion. Every nuance of their public face is literally rehearsed. They’re really actors. The introversion has remained, but the public imagery is all part of keeping others at a distance. This is classic introvert tactical behavior, but instead of retreating and avoiding the world, they adopt a complete role, and prevent the world intruding by separating the personal and the career modes.
Never before had I read a more accurate description of myself. It was as if I had been followed around and documented on.
And there are so many people that would BEG to differ and say that I am NOT an introvert, but I am. I have successfully created a person you WANT to know. I know the role very well and can play it to a tee. And at the exact moment where you may be getting too close to seeing the girl behind the curtain, I have an emotional ‘wardrobe change’ and BAM!!! a new me is born again. This is not an easy burden to bare, and it can become extremely overwhelming. In time, I may one day allow someone to peek behind the curtain, but until that day, on with the show!
Oh it is very possible. Nobody ever believes I am an introvert. But I truly am. I am very happy inside my own head and I only recharge my batteries when I am alone. People think that because you can “turn on” that you for some odd reason enjoy it. Not at all. I would be much happier if people just let me know them from afar