What Is It Like To Be An Introvert? Perspective 7.

19th of October, 2017.

What is it like to be an introvert? Before I dive into that, let me explain who an introvert is.

Introvert comes from Latin intro-, “inward,” and vertere, “turning.” It describes a person who tends to turn inward mentally. Introverts sometimes avoid large groups of people, feeling more energized by time alone.

Now since you know who an introvert is, let me give you some first hand experience on what it’s like to be an introvert.

1) I prefer time alone to large gatherings.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a hermit. I still like interacting with my fellow humans but my time alone is very sacred.  I spend my time alone either writing, playing the piano, watching television or just thinking. I try my best to get out of social gatherings by making excuses(I am currently running out of excuses so if anyone has any ideas, feel free to share) I honestly cannot help it because my introverted self needs time to rejuvenate and unwind. I think the hard part about being an introvert is that people think that your cancelled plans are signs that you don’t like them but I still love people.

2) Making new friends is the hardest.

This is honestly a struggle. Introducing myself to someone new? I would rather go for a party(I am joking). I really do want to meet new people, I find it so exciting but the thought of going up to someone and introducing myself to them terrifies me. But I have gotten better at meeting new people over the past few years. Most people think I am snobby but I’m really not. I want to talk to you but I do not know what to say.

3) I listen more than I speak.

I don’t speak a lot. I don’t mind listening to people talk about their dreams, ambitions and feelings and because of this a lot of people trust me and tell me really private things about their life. As an introvert I get asked this a lot,”Why are you so quiet all the time?” I’m very careful about what I say. Because of my good listening ability, many people use it to their advantage and talk only about themselves and never let me speak.

4) I don’t open up easily.

To be frank, I have trust issues and I don’t open up very easily. Some may know me for years but will not know some important details of my life. Someone told me that I know everyone else’s secrets but nobody knows mine. Oh well. I need to fully trust a person before entrusting them with valuable information about my life.

5) People tell me to be more “extroverted.”

People have actually told me that I should be more extroverted from the time I was small. So I actually grew up thinking that being an introvert is a “sin”. It is really not. They say that you should talk more, make more friends, blah, blah. This is who I am and I am not going to change.

6) I hate answering calls.

I absolutely hate picking up my mobile phone to answer a call. Sometimes I pretend I don’t hear it or message the person saying that I will call them back but I never do (I know I am horrible) I don’t like the idea of not being able to see the person while talking to them. Many people get quite mad that I don’t pick up their call.

 

To all the introverts out there: I conclude by saying that being an introvert is not bad. It is okay to be quiet and withdraw. It is okay to have a few friends, to not wanting to go out every weekend. It is completely fine. This is who you are.

Thanks for reading! I usually post every Sundays but I wanted to start posting twice a week. Let me know if you enjoyed this post and what your experience is as an introvert in the comments below.

Have a Happy Thursday !

Lots of love,

A Shy Introvert.

 

 

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6 Tips For Taking Caring of Your Mental Health. Perspective 6.

15th October, 2017.

World Mental Health Awareness Day was on the 10th of October. In light of this day, I wanted to write about 6 tips for taking care of your mental health. I hope that these tips can help you and feel free to comment any tips that you have adopted to take care of your mental health.

TIP 1: Speak Kindly To Yourself.

Sometimes it is very easy for us to be hard on ourselves. We tend to be so kind to others. When you speak negatively to yourself, you start believing it and it lowers your self esteem. You may not think it affects you but it does. So from today, start speaking positive and nice things to yourself. It may be weird at first but it will definitely help.

 TIP 2: Find a Creative Outlet.

When I had depression and even now, I write and play the piano to express my emotions. Sometimes I cook even thought I am pretty bad it. Finding a creative outlet gave me something to look forward to and it brought me happiness and joy. Blogging is another creative outlet of mine that has given me purpose. So find something you are passionate about as a way to take care of your mental health.

TIP 3: Exercise.

Oh man, I hate this one but it really helps. I am the laziest person on the earth, trust me. But just going out for a walk and being in nature can improve your mental health. You do not have to do 3 hours worth of exercise but just 10 minutes a day can boost your happiness. Going out for a walk made me feel positive throughout the day. So put on your headphones, listen to some upbeat music and go exercise.

TIP 4: Surround yourself with a positive group of friends.

Have a group of friends who are positive and who you can talk to when you feel down. It would also be nice to have friends who are motivated to take care of their mental health so you would be encouraged to do the same.

 

TIP 5: It Is Okay To Take A Break.

Sometimes when you feel overburdened, stressed and exhausted, it is okay to take a break from work, school, college or whatever it is you do. Get out of town with a friend or go alone. It is not necessary to go on a vacation but just take one day off and watch a movie and treat yourself to some really good food. Give yourself some time to unwind,relax and enjoy yourself.

TIP 6 : Listen To Some Music.

Always have a playlist ready with all your favourite songs that will comfort you when you do not feel so good. I have a playlist with all upbeat and fast faced songs that really boosts my mood,makes me feel positive and ready to face the day. Music really does wonders.

Have a Happy Sunday!

Lots of love,

A Shy Introvert.

Mental Health Awareness Day. You are a warrior.

October 10th, 2017.

Today is Mental Health Awareness Day. I suffered from depression and I got help and now I’m so much better than what I was.  I can’t say that the depression has completely gone. Depression is something I have to deal with everyday. I have to be conscious of all the negative thoughts that creep in very slowly. 

One year ago I was in a terrible state. I hated my life. Getting up in the morning was such a struggle. I felt like I had no purpose and I really wanted to kill myself. Little did I know that one year later, I would be writing a post telling other people that I have survived depression and they can too. 

I just want to say that if any if you is struggling mentally, please don’t be afraid to speak up about it, tell someone close to you. I was terrified of telling someone I had depression but when I finally did it felt great, like a burden had been lifted from my shoulders.  If any of you knows someone who is dealing with any mental health disorder, please urge them to get help and let them know that you are there for them and that they are important and valuable. 

Whoever you are, you are important and worth it and needed on this earth for a specific purpose. You do not deserve to be struggling with whatever you are dealing with right now. I know it feels like you’re never going to get better but trust me soon one day you will and you will get through it and will be able to help others who are going through the same problem. 

“No matter where you are or what you’re going through, always believe that there is a light at the end of your tunnel.” 

Remember that you are a warrior and you are strong enough to fight this battle. Don’t give up. 

It will be okay. Perspective 5.

8th October, 2017.

I’m not going to lie about how I feel. I have exams right now and I have been studying for the past month. I tend to stress so much about exams and put in all my effort into studying. These exams aren’t even really important. I was just pushing myself and I thought I was fine but yesterday I just couldn’t take it. 

I started to just cry and get frustrated and worry about whether I will complete my portion for this exam that’s coming up. And I was taking my anger out on other people. I just couldn’t handle it. I’m not only stressed but just exhausted and fed up. 

Today I was looking at quotes and I saw this one, “It will be okay.” and I don’t know why but I felt a lot better after reading it. I know that some things are beyond my control and I just have to assure myself that even though I may feel horrible and tired and fed up right now, things are going to be okay. 

Sometimes we stress and stress about things and the future and it only does harm to ourselves. Just stop for a moment, breathe and tell yourself that, “Everything will be okay, you’ve got this and take one step at a time” 

I am not so stressed right now and I hope that I can be of encouragement to anyone who is going through the same thing. 

I hope you enjoy a wonderful and stress-free Sunday! 

Staying Positive Even Through The Hard Times. Perspective 4.

1st October, 2017. 

Staying positive even through the hard times is tough for me. It is so easy for us to be happy, cheerful when things are going great and then when a problem strikes, we become sad, angry, upset and break into a million pieces.

To be positive means to be full of hope and confidence. But how do we stay positive when everything around us is falling apart? How can we have hope during adversity?

In life we have success and defeats, happiness and sadness. I believe that it’s important to stay positive through all these situations and I don’t mean walking about with a big smile on your face when you’re terribly upset. I mean acknowledging that everything will be okay, that things will get better despite the circumstance.

I am someone who really breaks down when challenges come my way. I get negative, pessimistic and just frustrated. It’s so easy to think of the worst when you are experiencing the worst. I got to the point where I decided to stay pessimistic so that when problems come I won’t be too sad or too upset.

And for so long I was stuck in such a defeatist attitude. When a problem came, I would be say,  “Oh great another problem.” I always expected the worst. And then I struck rock bottom, I became depressed.

In order to get out of depression, I really had to change the way the I think. I had to change my perception. I no longer wanted to be pessimistic but I wanted to be positive.

So I started by collecting these positive quotes. If I was upset I would cry, I wouldn’t fake a smile. But I would assure myself that things would get better and that I can get through this problem infront of me.

If you’re reading this, maybe you are going through something today and you probably feel that you have lost all hope. I want you to know that things eventually get better, you will get through it. Remember that the sun always rises in the morning. Try being positive through both the good and the bad times.

Some of the ways you can remain positive-

1. Positive quotes and affirmations really help me.

2. Surround yourself with people who encourage and support you.

3. Try and find the positives in every situation.

4. Engage in creative activities like painting or playing an instrument.

5. Exercise regularly.

Do tell me how you have any ideas on how to remain positive everyday in the comment sections.

Have a Happy Sunday!

Accepting Myself As An Introvert. Perspective 3.

24th September, 2017.

I was always an introvert but to be honest, I hated being one. I really wanted to be an extrovert, I aspired to be one. I hated the fact that I was shy, quiet, that I took a longer time to warm up to people. 

I had a small group friends, sometimes one or two I regarded as close. Others would compare me to some of my extroverted friends and say, “You should be like her, she is so bold and she doesn’t only talk to one person but she talk to everyone.” 

I wanted to be the extrovert because I thought that it was “cool” and that I would be accepted more. So I even tried being an extrovert. I was in school. I tried to be friends with everyone in my class, I went out everywhere with friends almost every week which was quite unusual for me. I even went out for a party which I never do. 

But I didn’t feel like myself. I mean I should have been proud of myself. I was doing everything an extrovert would do. Right? Anyway, after my failed extroverted venture, I took a personality test(Myers Brigg Type Indicator) because I felt lost in the world. And guess what I found out I was….I was an introvert obviously. 

The test revealed qualities about myself that I knew I had but I didn’t pay much attention to because I focused to much on being someone else. Like for example, I can understand people and I have good listening skills. 

I started to see myself in a new light and I no longer wanted to be an extrovert. I wanted to be myself. I may not go out for many parties or have many friends, but so what. As long as I’m happy and being me, that’s what matters more. 

Sometimes we fail to see ourselves for who we truly are. We ignore the good and beautiful qualities endowed inside us because we want to be someone else. Let me tell you, be you because that’s who you can be best. Work on bringing out the best in yourself. 

As for me, I have embraced my introversion and I don’t care what people say anymore. I’m happy being who I am and that’s a shy introvert!

I want to end by thanking all of the people who have taken time to read my previous posts and comment and like. It means a lot. 

Is Worrying Worth It? Perspective-2

17th September, 2017

 I failed to mention that besides being a shy introvert, I also worry….. A LOT.  I worry about what will happen in the day, my interaction with other people, I worry about other people, the future, whether I’m a good human being. I feel like anxiety has disrupted my life and prevented me from doing things that I love. For example: I would not participate in competitions in school because I was afraid I would make a fool of myself. 

But recently I started wondering whether all this time I spend worrying, is it worth it? Is it worth spending so much time worrying, fretting about the what ifs and the future? Are all the sleepless nights, heart racing, shaky hands, is it worth it? The truth is, it’s really frustrating to be anxious all the time and I really wanted to do something to remedy this problem. 

So I started making a conscious effort to not worry. Everytime I start worrying about something I ask myself, “Is it worth it?” When it gets too much, I stop and I just let go of everything that worries me and I tell myself to take one step at a time. It’s definitely not easy to control the worry. 

So for all of you out there who are anxious and worry a lot, the next time you worry about something ask yourself, ” Is it worth it?” And take a deep breathe in and trust that things will work out the way they are supposed to. 

Some of the things that have helped me deal with anxiety are:

• Listening to calm and peaceful music
• Playing the piano
• Going for a walk                                    
• Writing 
• Talking to someone 
• Distracting myself from what I’m anxious about by watching videos 

I hope these points help those who struggle with worry. If any of you have any other suggestions of how to deal with worry, feel free to write it in the comments section below. 

Are You Running Away From Your Dreams? Perspective 1.

#PostAWeek# 

10th September, 2017. 

I always thought about starting a blog but I never thought I would actually get to it.  I spent a lot of time thinking I wasn’t good enough. I started comparing myself to others who have accomplished more things than I have and it completely shattered my self-esteem. Every time I thought about starting a blog, I would think that I’m not meant for such a thing like this, I will never be able to do it. I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that sometimes we shy away from the things that we are truly meant to achieve or accomplish. We procrastinate and say ‘One Day’ but if not now, then when?

“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will” – Suzy Kassem 

Why do we belittle or underestimate ourselves? Why do we compare ourselves to other people? I mean what is so wrong about ourselves? We always have faith in others but when it comes to ourselves we doubt, question, wonder and worry. I believe that we are all amazing and in each of us lies something special. We are all capable of achieving our goals and dreams as long as we stop doubting and comparing ourselves to others.

“You can only achieve your dreams when you start believing in yourself.”

So my question to you is, what are you shying away from today? Think about it and start achieving. Don’t compare, don’t put yourself down thinking you can’t. The thing is you CAN and how will you know if you never try? Believe in yourself a little and you’ll be amazed at what happens when you do.

Ever since I started this blog, I have felt happier and more fulfilled because I ignored all the thoughts of self doubt and worries of failure. And if I can do something I was so afraid of and thought I could never do, I am sure you can do whatever it is you have been so afraid to do.

 

 

 

A Perspective on Life from a Shy Introvert.

I’m an introvert and I’m shy. There, I said it. Yes, I don’t like to be surrounded by many people. I prefer the silence. I love to sit in my room and look outside the window and just think. I absolutely adore the nights just because it’s so quiet and that is the time most people are asleep and it’s also the time when my thoughts flow. A lot of people tell me and state the obvious, “You’re so quiet.” They also ask me, “Why are you so quiet all the time?” At that point of time I just smile but here is the answer. The truth is my mind is bubbling with thoughts and ideas. Never ever does it take a moment of rest. I’m constantly thinking about the what ifs and the what could bes. I think about poverty and love and education and people and many other things. Maybe I am quiet and soft spoken to all who have met me but up there, in my mind, there is nothing quiet about it. That’s why I started this blog, to write about what really goes on in my mind and to give you a real perspective on life from a shy introvert.