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I did several things, I think. And it does fluctuate. - College in an extremely social club environment (marching band) - Moved across the country to a new pla

I did several things, I think. And it does fluctuate. - College in an extremely social club environment (marching band) - Moved across the country to a new place, forced me to meet new people, change social skill set - Moved from small companies to fast growing larger company, with mostly introverted people around me, I tended to fill out the gaps - Role more focused on personal interactions - New romantic relationship that allows for individualism, fulfillment, so I seek social interaction outside it (previous relationships were less balanced) - Exercise, diet make me feel more positive and social in general In short, my life has significantly changed since I considered myself an introvert. Most of it I attribute to just growing up and developing as a person. I could also see myself shifting back, depending on my situation. No biggie, both are good, and certainly I still have many introverted qualities.

irishcoffee 12y ago
If I'm not mistaken, you define introvert/extrovert by personal preference. e.g. when you need to recharge your batteries, would you rather be hanging out with 20 people, or alone on a walk? What you described was your path to developing social skills, which is great. I am an extremely social person. Many different groups of friends, very social at work, love going out and am always up for just about anything. I know I am an introvert because I need alone time in order to recharge.
- calinet6 12y ago
  Your definition is just as tenuous. I define introversion by the MBTI definition: "I like getting my energy from dealing with the ideas, pictures, memories, and reactions that are inside my head, in my inner world. I often prefer doing things alone or with one or two people I feel comfortable with. I take time to reflect so that I have a clear idea of what I'll be doing when I decide to act. Ideas are almost solid things for me. Sometimes I like the idea of something better than the real thing." Similarly, I define extroversion by the MBTI definition: "I like getting my energy from active involvement in events and having a lot of different activities. I'm excited when I'm around people and I like to energize other people. I like moving into action and making things happen. I generally feel at home in the world. I often understand a problem better when I can talk out loud about it and hear what others have to say." I define my personality shift from introversion to extroversion as a shift from primarily the first definition to the second. The shift is not in full: Meyers and Briggs not only recognized the spectrum between the two and the conditionality of both personalities, they accounted for it in their assessment. I still have periods of overstimulation by crowds that require alone time to "recharge." I also have periods of overstimulation of introverted self-care, in which I require crowds and groups to "recharge." Overall, I find the black-and-white dichotomy to be insufficient to describe the experience. The gray area is better, but I still think the presence of the opposing words does a disservice to the people attempting to define themselves and others in terms of them.

irishcoffee 12y ago

If I'm not mistaken, you define introvert/extrovert by personal preference. e.g. when you need to recharge your batteries, would you rather be hanging out with 20 people, or alone on a walk? What you described was your path to developing social skills, which is great. I am an extremely social person. Many different groups of friends, very social at work, love going out and am always up for just about anything. I know I am an introvert because I need alone time in order to recharge.

calinet6 12y ago
Your definition is just as tenuous. I define introversion by the MBTI definition: "I like getting my energy from dealing with the ideas, pictures, memories, and reactions that are inside my head, in my inner world. I often prefer doing things alone or with one or two people I feel comfortable with. I take time to reflect so that I have a clear idea of what I'll be doing when I decide to act. Ideas are almost solid things for me. Sometimes I like the idea of something better than the real thing." Similarly, I define extroversion by the MBTI definition: "I like getting my energy from active involvement in events and having a lot of different activities. I'm excited when I'm around people and I like to energize other people. I like moving into action and making things happen. I generally feel at home in the world. I often understand a problem better when I can talk out loud about it and hear what others have to say." I define my personality shift from introversion to extroversion as a shift from primarily the first definition to the second. The shift is not in full: Meyers and Briggs not only recognized the spectrum between the two and the conditionality of both personalities, they accounted for it in their assessment. I still have periods of overstimulation by crowds that require alone time to "recharge." I also have periods of overstimulation of introverted self-care, in which I require crowds and groups to "recharge." Overall, I find the black-and-white dichotomy to be insufficient to describe the experience. The gray area is better, but I still think the presence of the opposing words does a disservice to the people attempting to define themselves and others in terms of them.