Thanks for your thoughts — I haven’t met many people who went from extroverted to introverted (except for one friend of mine!). I like your encouragement for people to know themselves, be themselves, and make conscious decisions to act. Good advice!

Im slowly realizing to let things evolve with my family. And
That is a great tip on socializing, I will keep trying. I’m thankful for the way God made all of us!

Best Wishes Introverts!

Thanks for your comment — I’m glad the introvert and extrovert articles helped! You sound like me; I am comfortable and enjoy being with others but just for short periods of time), but I love love LOVE my time to myself.

Congratulations on your girls, I hope the birth is wonderful.

Regarding your questions: your family doesn’t necessarily need to understand you to love and accept you…and it may be futile to try to get them to understand you! Instead of trying to explain yourself and your introverted personality traits, it may be better to adopt a “live and let live” and a “let me be” policy — in a light-hearted, friendly, loving way. That’s what I do

Regarding your question about a successful relationship, my answer turned into a whole new article called “Extroverts and Introverts in Love – How to Build Strong Relationships”. To read it, click on this link:

Extroverts and Introverts in Love – How to Build Strong Relationships

I’m not sure I understand your question about being too focused on him….if my article about building strong relationships doesn’t help with that question, please ask it again here or there. I definitely think partners can be too focused on each other and need “spaces in their togetherness” (a quote from the poet Rumi).

I hope this helps!

Best wishes,
Laurie

I too had a struggle a couple weeks ago and came across introverted and extroverted personalities. Your articles are such a relief to hear and I am thankful for the work that you are doing, Thank you.

Im glad to finally found a name for me instead of weird, nonsocial, stuck up, quiet and BORING. Im introverted and have been all my life, I normally have no problem making friends because as strange as it sounds Im very outgoing also. I say what I think, I can strike up a convo and I love to particiipate in lots of activites. But I absolutely love my time to myself. I love to sleep, movies, think, research, etc. But my family has a problem with it because their extroverts obsivously!

No doubt, Ive struggled with this, but Ive came to accept to be without certain people. I still wonder If my mom understands me. Im the oldest and my other two siblings are exactly alike: can’t stand to have a moment silence or be alone and it drives me crazy…lol

I now stay in another state (I believe now, i moved to get away from them). I’m in a serious relationship, we have a 20month old and one on the way. 2 girls:-) But, my relationship with my boyfriend who I thought was like me when I met him, is struggling. He is constantly talking: He talks to his friends and family for hours…….everyday. If not talking on the phone, he is on facebook for hours………..I need him to socialize because I like to have time to myself. But I wish he would go out more and do his socializing. Im not a phone person which is why i believe my relationships suffer (but I can’t help it.) Its annoying for a person to want to talk, text, email, twitter, or whatever they do on phones now. Just come over and visit! or go out and visit.

Being a mother,Lack of finances and oppurtunity keeps me in the house more than I like now, so my friend supply is really dry.I don’t have family or old highschool friends where we live. My family and friends or over 8 hours away. So I know that some of these issues have to do with me not having the access that he has. But since reading your articles, I feel he is extroverted.

My questions are: can extroverts and introverts have successful realtionships? How can I socialize better and get my family and friends to understand me? Am I too focused on him and need to get a grip?

And I’m glad you mentioned “introvert guilt” — I wrote an article on that, at a reader’s request. We shouldn’t feel guilty for needing and wanting to spend time on our own or limiting our social interactions.

I’m with you on the quality versus quantity thing, too…

Thanks for your comments!

Laurie

Through my alone times, I’ve gone from putting on the ‘face’ (where I’d normally shoulder a successful extroverted front) to finally being able to realise that it’s okay to be enjoy being alone. Putting on the successful ‘face’ eventually lead to so many invitations to social outings that I honestly started to feel rather drained.

To top it off, there was a period about a month or so ago where I honestly thought I had some sort of social phobia because I so thoroughly disliked associating with large groups of people but your post as really put things in perspective.

In any case, thank you for putting this up. I just want to add that for those people who feel ‘introvert guilt’ about not socialising when society has conditioned you to thinking that you should, I’ve found it handy to consider the concept of quality versus quantity. I’d pick quality any day

I’m sorry to hear you’re having issues with your extroverted and introverted friends — and especially sorry to hear that it feels like the end for you!

One tip I have is to remember that you need to do what makes you feel most comfortable. It doesn’t work for you to talk to everybody and pretend to have fun…so you need to stop doing that. Your friends’ advice might work for some people, but it doesn’t work for you.

You might try to figure out what the issues you had with your friends. It sounds like you got along well with them. What changed? Getting to the root of that might help you reconnect with them as friends, or make new friends.

I also suggest finding natural ways to connect with people. That is, if you like reading books then you could join a book club. If you like doing puzzles or playing games, see if there’s a bridge or Pictionary group in your area. Focus on the activities you like doing, and you’re more likely to meet people you have things in common with. Plus, when you’re doing things you like, you feel good and are happy…and this makes you awesome to be around!

I hope this helps a little…

Warm regards,
Laurie

Professionally I am fine.. I could have all business talks.. I was the top sales telemarketer.

But in social life I am struggling.I have 2 best friendz that all ppl i talk to in my residence. But I think 1 extro and one is intro, but both understand me very well. When I talk to them, I talk to them 4 hours.. and enjoy tat. But lately had issues with them.. It feels like end of life..

Their advice to is to talk to everybody, when I had issues with my frz. I tried talking to everybody , but i know deep down i was faking it… and pretending to have fun when i am actual not.. Any tips would be helpful..

Thanks,
Anna