On Learning to Be Weird, Or Me

“Be weird. Be random. Be who you are.

Because you never know who would love

the person you hide.” –Unknown

 

Up until now, I have mainly kept my posts light-hearted and fun, but in this post, I want to get into the nitty-gritty things about being an introvert in what we introverts feel is a world made for extroverts.

For a long time, I thought there was something wrong with me because I didn’t always want to be around people. A lot of people thought I was weird for always being alone and having my nose in a book or they thought I was a jerk when I turned down invitations to do things for no other reason than that I just wanted to stay home. And if they didn’t think I was a jerk, they thought I was depressed, or that I was upset about something that I wasn’t telling them about.

In high school, I felt so much pressure to be busy all the time and to always say yes when people asked me to do things.

• I spent every week day away from home from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Wednesdays I would be gone until 10:30 p.m. because of church and I always talked to people afterwards
• In the fall I had marching band Friday nights and all day Saturday
• And I spent practically all day on Sundays at church until late at night

And I still felt like I had to do more.

On top of being busy, I was also extremely insecure. I hated that I was shy and introverted and wished I could be someone else.

By the time I graduated and got to college, I was extremely exhausted in every area of life, and I knew something had to change. I knew I had to set boundaries and realized I knew myself well enough to know when I had to say no to people and be alone, but also to know when I should probably spend some time with other people. As a Christian, I believe that God made me a certain way for a reason and it was through the process of learning what was best for me as an introvert that I also learned to love the person I am, just as God made me.

 

Here are five things that I absolutely love about being an introvert:

 

1. Relating to Other People

I have come to realize that there is nothing wrong with being an introvert and that there are many introverts out there who are just like me. By being confident in myself and knowing what it is like as an introvert, I can understand how other introverts feel and know just what to do to make them feel comfortable in an unfamiliar setting and hopefully help them not feel so alone.

One of my favorite ways that I have been able to relate to another introvert is with my niece. She is only four, but I can already tell she’s an introvert. One time, we were with a big group of people and I was feeling pretty overwhelmed. I found my niece sitting in a room with toys around her and she was just staring straight ahead at all the people. I went up to her and asked if there were too many people. She just nodded her head. I picked her up and we went and sat in a corner together, not speaking. After a few minutes, we emerged, ready to tackle social interactions again. Because I am an introvert I can have a close bond with my niece.

 

2. I Love Being Different

I’m quirky and I know it. I do a lot of things that people think are weird, but the truth is, I love those things. For example, I stare at the wall for hours on end, just thinking; I refer to my favorite authors by their first names and talk as if they’re my best friends; and I like to swing when I need to think. I love that I am unique and that I can be myself without worrying what other people think anymore. Yes, introverts are different. But differences are beautiful. If we were all the same and everyone could understand everyone else, the world would be a very boring place. I’m happy to liven things up, in my own quiet way!

3. Observing Makes Me More Attentive to People’s Needs

Introverts tend to sit back and observe more than they talk. Because of this, I pick up on how people are doing and am more attentive to people’s needs. I notice more things about my friends than they realize. Just because I don’t join into a conversation, doesn’t mean I’m not listening. I take in every single part of conversations and usually remember most of them. Being an introvert helps me care for the people I love.

 

4. It Improves My Relationship with God

As I have learned to take time for myself and set boundaries, I have realized the importance of taking time to do absolutely nothing. When I slow down and don’t constantly fill my time with doing things, I have more opportunities to hear from God and contemplate my relationship with Him. When I don’t take the time to slow down and have gaps in my schedule, it’s easy for me to forget to focus on God. But because I’m an introvert, I need gaps in my schedule, and in those gaps I find time for God. Being an introvert helps me be a better Christ follower.

 

5. I Love Reading

For all the insecurities I felt all through middle school and high school about constantly having my nose in a book, I honestly don’t care anymore. I love reading. So much. I think there is so much to gain from good books and I honestly wouldn’t be half the person I am today if I hadn’t spent so much time reading.

 

Without intending to, the rest of the world puts so much pressure on us to be someone we’re not. Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, you should be the person you were made to be because there is so much beauty in each of us that we will only find if we are truly ourselves. Don’t let the world pressure you to be someone you’re not.

 

Now that I’ve shared a little about myself, I’m curious, what are the things you love most about the way you were made? Tell me in the comments!