Here's another little insight into my inner workings. I don't really know what I am. People seem to be obsessed with posting articles and blogs about being introverts lately. These pieces always rub me wrong because I feel like they are kind of a cop out. I think everyone has introverted AND extraverted tendencies. I can definitely see where I am both and where others are too. For example when I am in a crowd with people I don't know well I tend to be quieter and just observe what is going on around me. My husband who grew up in a crowd (11 siblings) says that I shouldn't do this that I "need to fill the silence", but I don't believe him and I don't think this makes me an introvert of any stretch of imagination. Its pretty interesting to think through these 2 personality-types in comparison with us as a couple. In outward appearances I feel like my husband would be considered the more outgoing one, but really he will say that he doesn't like people very much and is perfectly happy locking himself away into his office for hours at a time. In my mind and according to all of those articles that would make him an introvert.
Now looking at me you would find someone who enjoys crowds (we have 5 kids for goodness sake), loves new experiences, and actually kind of likes to put herself in foreign situations just to get a different perspective. However, to take in all this new information I rarely open up to people on our first meeting. So does spilling one's guts upon meeting equate being an extravert? I don't think it does, because I do not shy away from meeting people and I will carry on a conversation with anyone who wants to talk to me they just have to make the first move.
**Update: After taking a class on Personality, I can now say that I label myself as a "Shy extravert." I'm shy because of all the reasons I listed above, but I'm an extravert because I feel recharged from being around other people. One is a personality trait the other is a temperament. I guess it really is about "the more you know." :-)**
