Home > Featured > Introvert or extrovert? Neither, I’m an ambivert

Introvert or extrovert? Neither, I’m an ambivert

Wallflower Kim Kaveh on finding the middle ground between two extremes

Chimera cat

There are many different types of introverts and extroverts. However, the general consensus is that introverts generally lose energy from social interaction and extroverts gain mental energy in social situations. I for one however, am both. Sometimes I am introvert, others I am extrovert. So, what am I?

According to the Myers Briggs test, I am a person with 60 shades of extrovert and 40 shades of introvert. Therefore, I am an ambivert – a person who has a balance of extrovert and introvert in their personality. I’ll agree, some people do fall squarely into either the introvert or extrovert camp. But roughly 38% may be somewhere in between, personality psychologist Robert R. McCrae told the Huffington Post.

I’ll admit, love being in groups of people, seeking excitement from an outside environment and generally being a social butterfly. I have always had a loud, confident personality and have always been ready to party with friends, go on a night out, or even a nice meal with my nearest and dearest.

Then again, some of my best weekends have been spent alone with Netflix and a takeaway to recharge my batteries ready for a new week. I can often go out and have hours of fun being the life of the party, but suddenly find my energy levels have dropped and all I really want to do is go home and be alone.

My behaviour is likely to change with the situation, and I can easily become “unbalanced.” I’m equally as comfortable in situations where the introvert feels most at home and where the extrovert is being the life and soul of the party. I tend to seek dare devil risk taking behaviour, but simultaneously relish my quiet time with a nice book to keep me company.

I have a tendency to balance out whoever I’m with – If I’m with someone loud, I’ll be loud. If they’re quiet, I’ll be even quieter. In the right context, I love attention, but more often than not, I don’t want to be the person everyone is looking at.

The truth is, I feel completely content with being an ambivert. I find both introverted and extroverted worlds both satisfying and rewarding. Being an ambivert helps me enjoy a varied life and helps me appreciate both personality types equally. But, whether you are an introvert, extrovert or an ambivert, we are all gloriously complex beings and the key to success is to embrace the personality type that you have.

If you want a fun little test to see if you are an ambivert, visit: http://www.danpink.com/assessment

Related Post

You may also like
Welcome to the summer edition of Wallflower magazine!
Living for the moment or planning for the future: Which is more important?
Meet the team behind the new Wallflower magazine
Get your freak on – Wallflower makes freaking fantastic shakes