 We are not all the same. This shouldn't come to you as a surprise. An introvert does not wait for external sources before they get stimulated. Instead, they focus on internal feelings for their stimulation. You may think people are grouped into introverts and extroverts, but so many people are in between the two. Although introverted people are about 25 to 40% of our population, a lot of ideas have gotten wrong about them. If a person is said to be an introvert, it does not also mean that they are shy or they have social anxiety. Shyness is not the same as being introverted. An extrovert can be shy. Unlike shy people, introverted people look inward. They are more concerned about what's happening on their inside. They're focused on their feelings and moods, and they do not require stimulation from external sources just to be themselves. They introvert and extrovert personality traits were made famous by Carl Jung. Later, the theory became central parts of other prominent theories, including the Big Five theory of personality. The introversion-extroversion dimension is also one of the four areas identified by the Meyer-Brugge type indicator, MBTI. Many theories focused on personality have concluded that each one of us has some degree of both introversion and extroversion. Well, the truth is that people can often be introverted or extroverted. The introverts among us are usually introspective. They are reserved and quiet. Extroverts, on the other hand, have to relate with others before they can have the energy they need. Introverts hardly ever need social interactions to gain the energy they need to achieve their goal. Introverts are self-stimulated. Introverts have to step away from a large gathering so they can regain their energy. Contrarily, extroverts drive in such large gatherings. What causes being an introvert? The physiology of our bodies plays a crucial role in letting us know if we are introverted or extroverted. How a body reacts to the external sources or environments can show us our level of extroversion and introversion. Based on our physiology, the reticular activating system, RAS, which is a network of neurons located in the brainstem, regulates arousal levels, including weakfulness and transitions between sleeping and waking. The RAS influences and controls how much information you take in while you're awake. When you're faced by potential threats in the environment, the RAS will increase your arousal levels for you to be alert and ready to deal with danger. We all have basic set point in terms of arousal level. You can have a higher or lower set point. We all do. According to psychologists and Aisheng, our arousals are like a continuum and this arousal theory of extroversion proved the following points. 15% of people have a minimal set point, meaning they naturally have low arousal levels. 15% of people have a high set point, meaning they naturally tend to be more aroused. 70% of people lie somewhere in the middle of the continuum. Hence, Aisheng theory proves that introverts naturally have high levels of arousals. Because of these high levels of arousals, introverts prefer tasks and environments that would let them be overstimulated since they can generate their own stimulation themselves. As a result, introverts can observe much more information from the environment because they are actually alert due to the high levels of arousal. This is why they usually want to have time alone, to process the things they have learned. It's easy to assume you know an introvert from an extrovert but you may be wrong just by your simple observation. You may think introverts are the shy ones among us who do not like to socialize with people but would rather be home alone. Yet, introverts can have different types of characteristics. They aren't necessarily shy. Yes, most introverts would instead prefer to be home alone. Reading a book or having their time alone doing something else because they are socially reserved, however, some introverts love to interact with people. Most people whom you think are extroverts because they love socializing are actually introverts. In this video, I'll be sharing with you who an introvert is and how you can easily identify them next time you see one. 1. You enjoy solitude If you're an introvert, you'll catch yourself loving to have a good time by being alone to enjoy the things you love to do. You don't have a problem with cooking your meals but on a good day, you just would love to be alone. Cooking your own food, reading a book afterwards or just lying down to think, alone. You don't hate the people around you but truthfully, you don't miss them. You enjoy your time alone. You feel energized when you play your game alone and take a walk alone, read a book or just watch a TV program you enjoy alone. It doesn't mean you want to be alone always. Most introverted people spend time with friends and families and they enjoy it. What is most important to know is that introverts love to retreat to think and reflect so that they can recharge after expanding on such social interactions. You're an introvert if you enjoy having a good time alone. 2. People often describe you as quiet and may find it difficult to get to know you. As an introvert, people can confuse you as being a shy person but too often, introverts are just basically quiet, reserved and reflective. Some introverts may be shy but it doesn't mean being reserved denotes you are timid. Introverts would rather speak few words than speak too many needless words. They can suck at mindless gossips but introverts only want to talk sense when they do open their mouths to talk. If you're quiet, reserved and you continuously look inwards, you're an introvert. 3. Being around lots of people drains your energy. If you catch yourself continually needing to withdraw to be alone after spending time with a lot of people so that you can recharge, you're probably an introvert. If you often need an extended amount of hours alone after you have become exhausted, being with people it's a major characteristic of introversion. Introverts have to expand energy on social situations unlike extroverts who gain energy from such interactions. Once again, this is no indication that all introverts avoid social interactions. A lot of introverts spend time with friends. They love to spend time with their few friends. An extrovert might seek to hang out so he can make friends. An introvert is only interested in hanging out with his friends. 4. You have a small group of close friends. Because introverts usually love spending time alone. People wrongly believe that they do not like people. This is not true. Introverts may not enjoy social interactions a lot but they do enjoy spending time with a small group of friends. These are the people they are close to. Introverts value deep, long-lasting relationships marked by a great deal of closeness and intimacy. Compared to having a large number of people they don't really know closely. This introverts have a very small group of friends. Extroverts prefer to be acquainted with a lot of people. Their circle of friends and acquaintances is usually wide. But for introverts, this is not so. Introverts are very careful in choosing whom they relate with and whom they have as friends. Also, they value those friends which they eventually make. They would relate with a person directly and engage with a large group of people. If you are like this, if you prefer a small group of friends whom you are committed to, you may be introverted. 5. You are drawn to jobs that involve independence. Introverted people are naturally averse to taking jobs that would demand social interaction. They appreciate low-key jobs, jobs that would keep them away from social circles. Introverts prefer career choices that would require them to work independently. For example, an introvert might enjoy working as a writer, accountant, computer programmer, graphic designer, pharmacist, or artist. 6. You like to learn by watching. Introverts would prefer to watch and observe to learn where extroverts would instead dive right in and learn through hands-on experience. Extroverts love to learn through trial and error. Introverts learn best by watching. That means introverted people would instead observe others carry out an activity then would copy the same so that they can learn. After learning though, introverts would rather prefer to practice their skill privately without having to show off to anyone. If you like to learn more by watching rather than doing, there is a chance that you have a more introverted personality. 7. You are very self-aware. Introverts are introspective. As a result, they invest time in looking inward and consulting their internal experiences. Introverted people usually would have excellent knowledge and insight into themselves, their emotions, and their feelings. Introverted people enjoy using their minds a lot. They tend to think and examine things a lot in their minds. Being self-aware is crucial for introverts. As a result, they spend a large amount of time learning more about themselves. They identify the hobbies they enjoy, they think about their lives, and they enjoy reading books that focus on topics of their interest. If you feel that you are self-aware and enjoy discovering deep insights about yourself, it might be a sign you are introverted. If this video inspired you, like the video. We love you.