Introverts: As Beautiful As A Sunset
It may be that one of the reasons we really appreciate sunsets is the same reason why introverts seem so natural. It is the beauty of being able to appreciate peace and quiet. Introverts are labeled as anti-social people. It is not that they hate parties or riots, but rather that they see them as communication barriers.
Introverts do not watch an evening alone with good food and TV series as a waste of time. It is rather the opposite, they see these evenings as a necessity. It is recreational time that they enjoy before they have to go out into the world again. This happens to a third of the world’s population.
According to Sophia Dembling, psychologist and author of The Introvert’s Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World , introverts like to dive deep into topics they are interested in talking passionately about. Some of these are often the meaning of life, or the nature of love.
We can often confuse shyness with being introverted. But in fact, these are two completely different concepts. Shyness is the fear of social rejection. To be introverted is to prefer environments that are not the most stimulating. Shyness is, at heart, painful. Being introverted is not.
They feel alone in crowds
Despite the opposite, it is common for introverts to feel alone among many people. They prefer to spend their social energy on close friends, colleagues and their families. How often do we talk only to fill quiet spaces? How many times do we waste our breath on pointless conversations?
Introverts can have strong social qualities and enjoy parties or meetings. But after a while, they prefer to go home. They listen more than they speak, think before they speak, and often feel that they express themselves better through the written word. They tend to avoid conflict. Some may be afraid of small talk, but they enjoy deep conversations.
They are often bored in environments where there are a lot of people or a lot of stimuli. This explains why introverts pay more attention to the details and feel overwhelmed when there are too many stimuli.
Is the brain of introverts different?
A study at Harvard University discovered different patterns in the brains of people classified as introverts. This study shed light on why they behave in this way. Introverts have a larger quantity of gray matter, which is also thicker in certain areas of the prefrontal lobe. These areas are related to abstract thinking and decision making.
Other characteristics of the introverts’ brains, apart from their more developed prefrontal lobe, are their higher level of activity in the frontal lobe itself and the anterior thalamus. This makes these people better at remembering things that are happening, planning something, and solving problems.
These people pay more attention to what is happening inside them and not around them. At the same time, they have a higher level of brain activity through learning, motor control and alertness. This makes them more careful.
