Dear extroverts,
Hi, hello, it’s me, your local occasionally awkward introvert.
I’m not like you, nor do I know what it’s like to be you. But I want you to know that I do appreciate you and I’m happy that you’re in my life. So let me just start off by saying thank you for “adopting” me as a friend.
Honestly, I don’t know how you do it. I don’t know how to be comfortable and confident in large groups of strangers and to just talk to them automatically. I don’t know how to socialize constantly with perfect ease, or make new friends on demand. It always takes me forever to warm up to someone and to truly feel comfortable with them. And frankly, I’m not naturally outgoing and all the socializing you see me do is incredibly draining. I always have to recharge and be alone for a while after being around people.
Now, if you know me in real life, I’m sure you’re wondering how I can be an introvert, given how much I love being on stage and performing, how I don’t actually mind giving presentations, and how if I put my mind to it, I can be decent at socializing.
The answer is really simple. In a performance, every single second is planned. You get directions and a script to follow so you know what’s coming next, and it makes life so much easier. And it’s easier to pretend that I’m someone else in presentations; and when people are just watching, and not responding to me.
But loving the stage doesn’t change the fact that I find it really hard to actually have a meaningful connection with someone, and that I get exhausted from social events. So please don’t be offended when I reject your invitation to hang out or not respond to your text messages. It doesn’t mean that I don’t like you or that I don’t enjoy your company, it’s just that I really need time to myself to feel energized again.
Thank you.
Love, Nicole