“Welcome to the eternal dance of being introverted whilst forever harboring extroverted ambitions”, wrote the singer Marina (also known as Marina and The Diamonds) in one of her newsletters. In the lyrics for her song “Happy Loner”, she also states that “When the world is overwhelming, I need to breathe / ‘Cause I’m happy being a loner”. As the inspiration for this article, the welsh singer-songwriter also wrote in her newsletter how easy it was for her to fall into her solitude and kinda isolate herself from the world.Â
Overall, the artist’s songs revolve around mental health and getting along with our feelings and personalities as we get older. As an ambivert myself, I wondered a lot about ways that we can balance our introverted side with our extroverted needs in order to live a more peaceful life with the world around us. Â
Introverts typically feel energized by solitary activities and may find social interactions draining. They often prefer deep, meaningful conversations over large social gatherings. On the other side, having strong extroverted ambitions includes goals and aspirations that are driven by social interaction, external engagement, and a desire to connect with others.Â
Having predominant extroverted traits may result in finding purpose in leadership roles, communication and creative endeavors that allow for public expression and influence. Meaning that, even the most communicative and outgoing people you know can consider themselves as introverts and actually need some time away from social interactions.Â
The process of understanding how to balance an introverted personality with an extroverted lifestyle can be very challenging and overwhelming. To acknowledge more about this topic, I talked with Giselle Anjos, a Psychology student in Universidade CatĂłlica do Rio Grande do Norte.Â
Giselle stated that she is very invested in studying about the human mind and how we can change patterns and habits to live in harmony with the way our mind is designed. In our interview, I asked about the internal conflict one may suffer with social energy balance and social expectations, what she answered:Â Â
“Mental and emotional fatigue makes it difficult to focus on studies and psychological practices due to constant interactions and social demands”, stated the student as she began. “Apart from the social pressure to adapt to social norms, such as networking or getting involved in extracurricular activities, which can be a nightmare. These factors can create a vicious cycle: social stress leading to burnout, which in turn harms academic performance and mental health.” Â
The Psychology major also told me about the beautiful qualities that come with introversion: active listening, compassion and reflection thinking. These traits can be so powerful with the social activity and relationships around us once we are able to recognize them as well as recognize our limits and set boundaries to take care of our little inner world.Â
“Self-understanding promotes self-acceptance. By recognizing your strengths and weaknesses, you become more confident in your interactions and decisions, which is crucial to professional success. By investing in these qualities, you can navigate social and professional demands in a way that respects your nature, creating a path that is rewarding and sustainable.” (Giselle Anjos)
The subject of self-knowledge was enhanced even more when I talked with my best friend, Isabella Gomes, about the topic. The Journalism student gave me some valuable examples of how she uses her ambiversion in her favor.Â
Extremely sociable and communicative, the Faculdade Cásper LĂbero’s major student always respects her solitude. She found the key to a balanced life by, for example, going out with friends once a week and using the rest of the weekend to recharge and reset for the upcoming week. It doesn’t matter how many friends are going to invite her to do something that day, it’s her alone time, it’s her need and that’s boundary-setting.Â
It may be difficult at first for some people, especially by the possibility of resulting in a fear of people not understanding you. But, doing that for ourselves not only gives us the ability to recharge and feel better, but, simultaneously it will make our gatherings and networking more efficient and harmonious.
Introverts have the “superpower” of simply knowing themselves so deeply because they like to spend time with themselves. And being around someone who has a good sense of self-knowledge can never be a bad thing. They will understand you, support you and probably help you to get to know yourself too.Â
If being an introvert is like having a superpower, being an introvert with extroverted ambitions is getting the best of both worlds. If we are able to manage our time alone wisely and for our own benefit, we will then become the best version for the people around us, using our strains and motivations to create welcoming and successful environments aligned with good mental health and good relationships.Â
So, if you need time to breathe after a party or any social event, just take your time and know that it’s okay to respect your solitude. Actually, know that you are recharging the batteries of the superpowers that come with being a happy loner.
__________
The article above was edited by Clara Rocha.
Liked this type of content? Check Her Campus at Casper Libero‘s home page for more!