Introvert — all the way

I wanted to title this blog post “Extroverted Introvert,” because I believed that while my Myers-Briggs Test would no doubt show me as an introvert, it would be close to being an extrovert. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

When I first took this personality test probably a decade ago, Kyle was so surprised to find out I was introverted. I generally am pretty good with social situations, so he assumed I was an extrovert. Not so much. When I retook the Myers-Briggs test last month, though, I was quite surprised to see how far on the introverted track I was. Do y’all see that? That’s an 81% introverted rate! No wonder I’m happiest cuddled in PJs watching Netflix.

According to 16Personalities, INFJ is rare, making up one percent of the population. Add to the fact that I’m a natural redhead, and I’m a dadgum wizard and unicorn and mermaid all wrapped up in one. I knew I was amazing.

Honestly, I’m not sure how accurate the former is (but I do know I am amazing), but I am a proponent of personality tests – not the Cosmo-type ones (but those are helpful to waste time in a doctor’s office waiting room), but ones that actually give you more insight on yourself. The Myers-Briggs is well known, but there is also the Four Tendencies Quiz, which shows how individuals respond to inner and outer expectations, and the Enneagram Test, which is Kyle’s current favorite and shows your basic personality type.

I joke that I was born to a shy extrovert and a talkative introvert (those of you who know my parents should guess which parent is which!). What is crazy to me is how much I actually do that I consider an extroverted activity. I teach college students for a living! I teach Sunday school to my peers!

So…what’s a girl who-thought-she-was-an-extroverted-introvert-but-is-really-a-super-introvert supposed to do?

Do it.

There are days when I don’t feel like teaching anything. There are days when I walk into work or walk into church and, to be honest, I don’t want to talk to anyone. I don’t know if that’s necessarily an introverted personality trait or just a flaw on my own part, but I cannot be social every day. I just can’t. I can do through the motions and be nice and polite, but I am not going to make good small talk or be overly bubbly that day. Maybe the next day. I am actually a very hyper person. I have a Chihuahua, and when people say dogs match their owners’ personality, they’re talking about me and Vicki. But some days, me and Vicki just really want just to cuddle on the couch and read and sleep. She can. I can’t.

And I know there are other people like me. We live in a world that tells us to type, tweet, and live stream our lives, and sometimes all we want to do is be alone. And that’s okay. But, unfortunately, most of the time we can’t pick and choose when we want to be alone.

So, for me, I listen to some Alabama Shakes, Black Keys, Dr. Dog, or Lecrae, and I just do it. I smile and am kind (or I try to be), because I do want to be kind. I want to show kindness to those around me, because kindness is so underrated.

It is definitely an extrovert’s world. Heck, even this blog is sometimes hard for me. But I do it because I write. This is just what I do.