Being an introvert is something not many are able to understand. And this inability to truly grasp the world of the introverts is what makes them create different misconceptions and judgments based on your behavior.

If you are an introvert, you will agree that most people simply cannot understand your reality and while it does take some effort to explain it properly, your introverted state does not urge you to do that, so they stick to the reality they have learned to perceive about you.

Here are 17 things you tend to do because you are an introvert that others tend to misinterpret:

1. You decline invitations to parties or events because you need to recharge

This habit is not something others will understand. They will most probably see you as anti-social and it will make them think whether you really like them.

However, your reality is different. It has nothing to do with them, actually. You just need to recharge your batteries because you have had enough of social interactions for one day, and you would rather stay home and watch movies, read books, or just relax.

2. When at parties or get-togethers, you check your phone to avoid conversations

Yes, you get into conversations, but then you need some alone time, even if that means that you will isolate yourself in the middle of a crowd. One way is to check your phone and do whatever just to avoid talking for some time.

3. You tend to hang out in the bathroom longer than needed for some peace and quiet

Whether it is parties, or at work, if you need some quiet, you will spend more time than you really need in the bathroom, because it is the quietest place there.

4. You literally freeze when someone asks you to tell them about yourself

You hate that question – it is out of the blue, and you have to shoot straight away. So, because you have no time to articulate your deeper thoughts, you mumble some generic sentences, and it ends up the wrong way.

5. When at parties, you end up talking to just one person the whole night

That is, the person who you feel most comfortable around. And you usually speak about deeper topics, not some shallow ones.

6. You easily get tired of being around a lot of people, so you leave early

Crowds are literally not your thing. You sometimes get so tired of being around people that you just want to go home and be with yourself. It is not that you are actually going to bed, but you would like some rest and alone time, doing whatever you find interesting – alone.

7. You often have ‘things to do’ when someone calls you over to hang out

It is not that you do not like your friends, but your plans for the night are already arranged. You just want to stay home and watch movies, chill, read something, do nothing – everything which does not involve other people.

8. You sometimes like staring out the window, daydreaming, and not being bothered by anything

You just want to shut yourself off from the world, not to be bothered by anything.

9. You have trouble articulating your feelings or thoughts, even when everything makes so much sense in your head

And then you get stuck between your thoughts and your tongue, while those around you are looking at you and waiting for you to spit it out. It often feels like they are pulling teeth out of your mouth.

10. When you speak your mind, others tend to get offended

It is because you skip the whole small talk that is supposed to warm them up, so they find your words as really blunt. But you are aware that no matter how you put it, it is the truth.

11. You are terrible at making small talk, because you really hate it

Small talk is not your thing at all. So, you get straight to the point before others had the time to wrap their heads around the idea. Do not be surprised if they get confused and ask where that came from.

12. You sometimes drift away in your thoughts instead of paying attention

Be it in class, at work, or with your friends, you sometimes dive deep into your thoughts and you stop paying attention to whatever is going on outside. Instead, you start thinking about the universe, the fate of humanity, or time travel – really whatever deep topic is occupying your mind.

13. You prefer working alone to working in a group

Working with others in a team is a draining experience for you. That is why you will often try to get a job done by yourself, even if it means working more that way.

14. You like to keep your birthday celebrations as low-key as possible

Birthdays are a personal and private thing, and you want to celebrate them with your closest of friends. There is nothing strange in celebrating your birthday with two friends, somewhere in a nice and quiet restaurant.

15. Instead of calling back, you send text messages

Even if someone told you to call them back, you will most probably text them instead. It is because you have more space to articulate the right words and stick to the point easily.

16. You like wearing your headphones to avoid talking to people

Be it on the bus, or in the taxi, you prefer not talking to others. And the best way to do that is to put on your headphones. If you cannot hear them, you do not have to reply.

17. You sometimes get so burnt out, that you just want to eliminate all sounds

Sometimes, noises, talking, music, or other activities that involve people burn you out so much that when you get alone you turn off every sound source and enjoy the silence, at least for a few minutes.

The world of the introvert is a world of its own that many cannot understand. And it is a tough job for an introvert to go out in the open and do shallow socialization because ‘that is what people do.’

If you are an introvert, we are sure that you will agree with this!

Being a highly sensitive person means that the intensity of your emotions is very high. Often you have your heart on your sleeve, and you find yourself easily overwhelmed, and at times it is hard for you to control your intense emotions.

You are more sensitive to certain situations, and you notice every single detail that other people don’t notice. Your high sensitivity is responsible for your vivid inner life, your creativity, and your kind and nurturing nature.

Even though your sensitive nature can be your greatest strength, sometimes you do things to protect yourself that other people who are not as sensitive as you cannot understand.

Below are 21 things that other people don’t realize you are doing because you are a highly sensitive person. These things are based on a research by Dr. Elaine N. Aron, the author of the book “The Highly Sensitive Person.”

1. You love routine. You find your comfort in doing things a certain way, and you don’t make exceptions. That is why you have a morning and a bedtime routine that you follow every day. You don’t like to change things since chaos and the unknown scare you.

2. You prefer silence over loud noise. That is why when you go out in a loud place, and you find yourself surrounded by a bunch of people you tend to shut down from time to time and tune off any external noise because your sensitive sensory system gets overwhelmed.

3. You become overly sensitive when you deal with a conflicting situation. When your partner, friend, or a coworker raises his voice, you become anxious. Moreover, when you feel a tension in your romantic relationship, your friendship, or with a family member, you have trouble sleeping and you may even start feeling physically unwell.

4. You are highly sensitive to pressure too. When you find in a situation where you have to follow a deadline, and you must finish a project at an expected time, you feel overly stressed, and all you can think about is that task that you need to complete.

5. When you have a busy day at work, and you are so exhausted that all you can do is to lay down in your quiet place at home and relax and not think about anyone or anything. You need your alone time to calm your highly active senses.

6. You often find yourself turning off the TV or covering your eyes with your hands when you see violence in a movie because you cannot stand watching the cruelty and the blood makes you sick. Likewise, you cannot watch a sad scene because your highly sensitive nature can make you burst into tears.

7. In school, when your teacher scolds another student, even though it hasn’t got anything to do with you, you become stressed and anxious too. It is because your highly sensitive nature cannot stand stressful situations.

8. When you fall in love, you fall in deep. It can be at times very overwhelming for you because even though the feeling is wonderful and exhilarating, it is still a significant change in your life that you are not accustomed to.

9. You tend to become scared easily due to your overly sensitive nature. When someone walks behind you quietly and you don’t notice them, you will jump off immediately when you see them because your nervous system is so sensitive that you get startled often.

10. Your highly sensitive nature is like a sponge that absorbs the energies and the moods from other people that you interact with. This can be very overwhelming for you, and that is why you find yourself often wanting to be alone. You distance yourself from everything because that way you can follow your feelings only.

11. You rarely drink coffee because caffeine has a very strong effect on you. Alcohol also has a heightened impact on you. This is because your highly sensitive nature emphasizes any effect that drinks or food have.

12. Highly sensitive people have a lower tolerance for pain. Therefore, when you are in pain, you are feeling it more intensely than others.

13. Being a highly sensitive person, you can get easily uncomfortable when you walk into a room that has something in it which makes you feel overwhelmed. You can tell immediately what it is that is causing you discomfort, be it fluorescent lighting, or a piece of furniture.

14. You need to distance yourself from anyone who wears a strong perfume because your smell sense is very sensitive to smells and any overpowering fragrance can make you dizzy and sick to your stomach.

15. You avoid entering stores that are full of people and noisy. It is an activity that can be too much overwhelming for your sensitive system.

16. Being a highly sensitive person, you can notice every little detail that may escape others. You can even spot a shift in the mood of a person and how they react to different topics and situations.

17. You have a vivid inner world that goes hand in hand with your increased sensitivity. Therefore, you tend to experience very real and intense dreams and nightmares. Similarly, your rich inner world makes you a very intuitive and creative person.

18. You are sensitive to loud music, and you find yourself constantly grabbing the remote to lower the volume to a point to which it sounds soothing.

19. For any highly sensitive person, the mere presence of another person watching them do something is overstimulating. That is why when you are at work, and your manager observes you, you tend to make mistakes and not do your best.

20. You have strong reactions to anything from your surroundings. Art, music, poetry are things that especially move you. When you see or read something beautiful, you put yourself in a trance state.

21. You seek a meaning in everything that is going on in your life, from the career path you chose to your friends and your romantic partner. You ask yourself the reason why you chose them and what meaning they bring into your life.

We all have that one friend who would do anything to avoid talking on the phone, and when they have to speak, they try to be as short as possible and avoid any conversation longer than two minutes.

Well, many introverts are notorious for this habit of avoiding phone conversations. In fact, they loathe talking on the phone. And you should not take it personally. They would rather miss an important business deal than talk on the phone about it.

So, why do they hate talking on the phone so much?

Introverts are well known for their habit of pulling their thoughts inside and having long periods of self-reflection and deep thinking. They like to take their time and prepare themselves mentally for whatever they are supposed to do outside of them.

And a ringing phone is nothing different than an alarm clock or a crying baby for them – it yells for them to get out of their heads and answer at that very moment. You could say that it is one of the most intrusive things that can happen to an introvert.

Which is more, you cannot possibly plan when somebody is going to call you nowadays, so they have no time to mentally prepare themselves for the conversation that requires them to phase out of their introverted state.

And that is not all. Once the phone conversation starts, it most often begins with small talk – perhaps an even bigger deterrent for an introvert. Introverts tend to focus on the meaningful parts of the conversation, so they have a very awkward time when they are forced to be polite and wait for the speaker to get to the point (if there is one).

When it comes to responding, introverts choose to take their time to think things through, which is not really a useful skill for phone conversations. The silences that are caused may feel very awkward for both speakers.

In the end, introverts prefer to communicate with people face to face, because they rely heavily on visual cues to discern whether the other person is being honest, what they are feeling, or even whether they are about to say something.

In a phone conversation, these elements are simply gone, and this makes the already difficult-to-achieve conversation even more difficult for the introvert. Honestly, many things are already happening in the introvert’s head, and adding the burden of deciphering and trying to respond to a disembodied conversation only adds more strain on their minds.

So, the overwhelming experience makes them want to retreat in their thoughts and take a break, while the conversation urges them to get out of there and respond. It is not a situation they would prefer getting into, so they try to avoid it as much as possible.

There is, however, a way to navigate the conversation with (some) ease

Of course, some conversations are necessary, no matter how much a person can hate them. From scheduling appointments to disputing charges, these phone conversations are bound to happen, and everybody needs to go through them.

Here are some tips for introverts that can help them save their heads from burning out during phone conversations:

If it is a business-related call, it is best to write down the main points on which you want to talk about, or even a brief script. This way, you will be able to avoid stumbling on your words or get into a deeper thought that would cause silence.

Get to a quiet place where you will be alone to avoid interruptions or being overheard. It is also good to have a notepad with you to jot down important things that were mentioned during the conversation.

For friends and relatives, creating some schedule will be mutually beneficial. They are perhaps already aware that you tend not to pick up the phone in most cases, so working out a time when you both are available will work perfectly for a normal conversation.

That way, you will have enough time to prepare mentally, and they will be aware that you will actually answer the phone.

A good activity that you can introduce while talking on the phone, as much as it sounds counterintuitive, is doing something that does not require much thought while speaking. It could be anything from making doodles and coloring and assembling a jigsaw puzzle to brushing your pet or doing some housework.

These activities will help you to occupy the restless part of your mind, and you will be able to focus on the conversation more.

In the end, motivation plays the biggest role in whether you will want to talk to whoever is on the phone. One way to build your motivation for this activity is to give yourself some kind of reward after a phone conversation.

You could treat yourself to a slice of cake, or a candy bar; take a walk in the park; read something you love; watch a movie; whatever makes you feel happy and satisfied.

De-phoning your life

Some calls are indeed necessary, but that does not mean that your phone has to take over your life. If you want to reduce the amount of phone time in your life, here are some hints:

– Put your phone on vibration or switch your ringtone to something fun or calming;
– Leave a voicemail that will instruct your callers to text you or email you;
– Avoid leaving your phone number when you fill out forms whenever possible – use your email instead;
– If you are making a call to a business or a person that you do not want to know your number, hide your caller ID – your phone has that option too;
– Let your friends know that you would rather text than talk on the phone and that you are highly unlikely to pick up the phone;
– When you miss a call, get back to them with a text message;
– Return messages (email, chat, phone) promptly to reinforce the notion that this is the quickest way for people to reach you.

If you are an introvert, be aware that there is nothing wrong with avoiding phone conversations, and you should not feel bad about it at all. It is simply not in your habit, and you would rather prefer chatting and talking to people face to face.

Let your friends and family know that you do not prefer talking on the phone and that you would rather have them text you, and when you do have to talk, use the tips from above.

Source: Introvert, Dear

Introverts don’t like being engaged in small talks. Any conversation that is not mentally stimulating is not a subject of their interest. They prefer talking only about important things. 

It has become common knowledge that introverts hate small talks. By small talk, they define any conversation that happens when it would be rude for someone to remain silent.

This involves talking about the weather, or any other unimportant things while you are standing next to a stranger waiting for something, so they try to make small talk to make the time pass faster.   

However, knowing that introverts hate to be engaged in this kind of talk, it might be easily interpreted as introverts hate talking in general. This is not the case. Introverts like to talk, but they like to talk only about important things.

So, what are the important things that introverts like to talk about? And why do they hate and avoid small talk?

They hate small talk because it doesn’t engage their brain.

It is true for every introvert that when they find themselves in an elevator, for example, or any other place where they are obligated to be close to a stranger – introverts prefer to remain silent for the time being.

They won’t be offended if the other person chooses to be silent too. In fact, they prefer that. However, often, the other person would feel obligated to say something to fill the silence because they think it is only polite.

In other words, introverts don’t hate when people talk WITH them; they hate it when people talk TO them.

There is the difference. When you talk with someone, you engage in meaningful communication with a topic that interests both parties. When you talk to someone, on the other hand, you do that to fill a conversation gap with something trivial and unimportant that requires little or no reciprocation at all.

When someone says something like “Oh, it is so cold today,” there isn’t anything that can be added to it except “Yeah.”

And there is the problem for introverts – they feel that their brain is not engaged nor it could be engaged in a conversation like that.

On the other hand, if we imagine a situation when an introvert finds oneself in an elevator with a stranger, the introvert would most likely be flipping through its phone without paying attention to the person next to them.

If the other person, however, says something like: “My daughter died in an elevator accident. Sorry if I seem too overwhelmed and emotional,” this would immediately gather up the interest of the introvert. A variety of question will start popping up on their mind, like: How did she die? How long ago? How old was she?  

This statement is not meaningless and allows further engagement on the topic. The introvert can choose whether to engage in the conversation or not. Either way, the introvert gets the necessary mental stimulation that he/she needs.

In comparison, if the person says something in the lines of “What a beautiful day. I wish I didn’t have to go to work,” there isn’t anything left for the introvert to say except to nod along and agree.

When it comes to conversating, introverts are meat-eaters.

If we imagine that conversation is like a sandwich, then the small talk would be the bread, and the meat in it along with all its juices would be the most important part of the conversation – the deep topics.  

Not surprisingly, the introverts would skip out the bread and jump right to the meat!

All in all, introverts crave meaningful and mentally stimulating conversations. They also want honesty, because they are honest themselves. They want to know what motivates people at their core, what they love, what they fear…

They give meaning, but they expect to get meaning from you too.

Share if you agree!

I am sure that everyone admires a person that can go through life effortlessly without worrying what tomorrow may bring. It takes a strong person not to bother with life’s trivialities and fully grasp and enjoy life as it is.

Because let’s be honest – all your worries that you have today will not matter in the long run. The only thing that matters is how much happiness you bring into your life and to the people around you.

And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it seems like the happiest people nowadays are those that do not give a damn about anything.

So, below are 11 things that strong women do not give a damn about, and you should not too.

1.They Don’t Give A Damn About What Others Think

Strong women do not worry about what others think of them. This quality puts them in a very powerful position because they get to decide what matters to them and choose only things and people that align with the quality of their life. They respect and value themselves enough to not feel like they need to prove themselves to others.

2. They Don’t Give A Damn About Being Right All The Time

Strong women respect other people’s opinions and value them. They know they are not perfect and don’t intend to be. They are aware that it is impossible to know everything. So, they don’t care about being right all the time – because nobody is. They know that they can learn something new from every person they encounter.

3. They Don’t Give A Damn About Having A Perfect Body

Strong women respect and love themselves for everything they are and everything they have. They love every little imperfection on them because that is what makes them unique. They appreciate others with their flaws too and don’t try to change anyone. They love their body as it is, and they do not care about following crazy diets – they care only about their health and well-being.

4. They Don’t Give A Damn About Following Fashion Rules

Who says you shouldn’t wear a bikini if you are oversized? Or, horizontal stripes are not for you if you have broad hips? Who says that size zero equals perfection? Strong women don’t care about any of those things. They wear what they like to wear, and they wear it with a striking confidence.

5. They Don’t Give A Damn When They Choose To End A Toxic Relationship

Let’s be honest, everyone has tasted the ‘bittersweet’ taste of a toxic relationship – strong women are not an exception to this. However, the difference between a strong woman and any other woman is that the strong woman doesn’t feel bad when she puts an end to the relationship. She chooses her happiness over anything and anyone.

6. They Don’t Give A Damn About Being Polite In Bed

It is sad how many women today think that being ‘good’ in bed means being submissive and fulfilling every desire of your partner. Strong women are vocal. They do not care if they will hurt their man’s ego. They know what they want in bed, and most importantly, they know that their needs are equally important as their partner’s.

7. They Don’t Give A Damn About Fitting In

Strong women do not follow the rules that society inputs on them. They play by their own rules and live their lives being their most authentic selves. They don’t fit in because they don’t follow the crowd and don’t want to shape themselves to be like everyone else. Plus, this uniqueness that strong women have is what makes others enjoy spending time with them.

8. They Don’t Give A Damn About Getting Likes On Facebook And Instagram

Getting hundreds of likes on social media doesn’t mean anything to strong women. The likes they get make no difference in their lives, so why bother with them? Strong women decide to spend their mental energy focusing on something that is actually beneficial to them, and not on how many people have liked their Instagram photo.

9. They Don’t Give A Damn About Gossip

Strong women are only focused on their life; they don’t want to spend time and energy on getting to know about someone else’s. They don’t gossip simply because they don’t find anything exciting or meaningful in gossiping. Anything pointless, such as gossiping, is not a subject of interest to them.

10. They Don’t Give A Damn About 3-inch Heels

If your style is wearing heels all the time – that’s fine. Strong women prefer commodity and comfort over looking hot in 3-inch heels. They can’t understand women who willingly choose to endure pain because their pain-inflicting heels match their dress.

11. They Don’t Give A Damn About The Mistakes They Have Made

Strong women know that reminding and scorning themselves about every past mistake they have made doesn’t bring them any good. They have learned the lesson from each mistake, and they have moved on stronger than ever.

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Personality tests are always an exciting thing to do. Sometimes we are happy with the results; sometimes we are not – but either way, it is a great way to have some fun.

Look closely at the pictures below and decide what you first saw in the picture. Then read on to find out what the thing you saw first says about your personality and your perception of life as well as your current state of mind.

A CAR

If you first see a car, it means that freedom is essential to you. You like to move at your own pace in life, and you want things to go your way.

The car also represents your ability to go into details and analyze deeply any situation. This quality can be sometimes dangerous because it can cloud your judgment, especially if you find yourself in a bad situation.

And while being detail-oriented is an excellent ability that one can have, you should remember to look at the bigger picture from time to time to gain perspective.

A MAN WITH BINOCULARS

If you first see a man with binoculars, it means that in life you always tend to look at the bigger picture and you do not bother with going into details.

And because the man is over the whole picture, you are more likely to absorb information in quick glances instead of thinking it through.

While being able to see the bigger picture is a good thing, sometimes it is important to look at the details too.

THE LETTER “A”

This letter is the hardest one to spot. If you are among few who saw it first, it means that you have a rare ability to see things that others can’t.

You are very intuitive, and you think outside of the box which makes you a perfect detective for solving crimes and figuring out murders.

GIRL

If you are a girl and you saw the girl first, prepare for some wonderful events happening to you in the future. The girl in the picture is looking upwards, so are you – your positive attitude and your hope that you hold in your heart can be infectious to anyone around you. Also, it means that you are happy with who you are and in touch with your inner self. It is also a sign of confidence and independence.

If you are a boy and you saw the girl first, it means that very often your mind is fixated on the opposite sex. There is maybe one particular girl that is on your mind that causes you happiness or distress, and you desperately tend to get validation from her. Either way, best is to focus on improving yourself and your self-confidence, and all will fall into place.

GUY

If you are a girl and you saw the guy’s face first, it shows your desire for a romantic partner, or if you have a partner, it shows your connection with him. You are often thinking about him which is a good thing. The guy in the picture represents healthy changes in your love life that will take place soon.

If you are a guy and you saw the guy first, it means that you are concerned about some guy at work, or some friend or even you are worried about your sports team. Either way, you are not at ease, and you need to discuss and try to solve the thing that worries you and let it go.

CROCODILE

If you first see the crocodile, which is very likely, you are practical, and you don’t like to take risks in life. You leave a cautious life, and you tend to focus more on the negative aspects instead on the positive. Try to relax and enjoy yourself and your life more.

A BOAT

If you were able to see the boat first, it means that you have an eye for details and nothing can run past you without you noticing it. It also shows your creative side and your unique way to find a solution to any problem or situation.

OLD MAN

If you saw the old man first, you are highly empathetic and sensitive person. And since to see the man first you need to look at the picture from the right, it means that you are using your right side of the brain. And because this side of the brain is the creative one, and it shows that you have an artistic nature.

WOMAN

If you saw the woman first, it means that you are mostly using your left side of the brain which is logical and analytical – just like you. You tend to always think twice and analyze the situation carefully before you jump in and make a decision. However, you are also an optimist, a believer, and a healer too – people like to come to you for advice. You just need to control your perfectionist’s side and everything will be fine.

THE PILLARS

If you first see the pillars in the image, it means that you are deep into your comfort zone and this may be the reason why you can’t achieve all that you want in life. You need to step out of your comfort zone and see the world differently to gain new perspectives. The pillars also show that you are a dreamy and romantic person and you tend to miss out important details.

THE MEN BETWEEN THE PILLARS

If you saw the silhouettes of the men first, it means that you haven’t got any constraints in life. You live your life full and effortlessly and it is easy for you to make new friends and connect with people. Also, you are a sensitive and kind person, and you like to help those in need.

THE FACES

If you see the faces first, it means that you are an extrovert – a people person. You are profoundly influenced by external stimuli and energies, and that is why it is vital for you to surround yourself only with positive and supportive people. Don’t allow negative, demanding and criticizing people around you because they will suck out all your positive energy.

THE CANDLESTICK

The candlestick shows that you are an introvert who prefers the comfort of their own home more than anything. You find your motivation and purpose behind closed doors, and you enjoy your alone time.

A WOMAN

The woman in the picture is in a defensive position with her knees bent and her hands on her head. If you saw the woman first, it means that you feel emotionally drained right now. The woman also stands for inner regret. You may be in a difficult period of your life, or you are faced with a major decision that you need to make.

The woman can also be a sign that you are in a toxic relationship. Maybe the partner is causing you stress and worry. Whatever it is you desperately need to remove yourself from the stressful situation. Change is crucial – you need to make changes in your life and focus your energy on things that make you happy.

A SKULL

The skull means that you currently find yourself in a hard situation that seems like there is no way out. Life is throwing you obstacles and challenges that you need to overcome to get stronger and wiser. Do not lose hope and stay strong for it will soon pass. The skull also means that you feel like you are not appreciated enough for your work.   

Source: Themindsjournal.com