When I was in high school, a teacher told me that my younger sister has better ‘Public Relations’ and she advised me to mingle more with my schoolmates. In my last year of high school, I won as president of the school government organization. How did I do it? My sister campaigned for me in the entire school.
Growing up, I could not understand why speaking came naturally for my younger sister and whenever we’re with a group of people, she fits in perfectly. I, on the other hand, stayed quiet and never initiated a conversation.
I hated delivering speeches or being at the limelight. Still, I won awards for public speaking and even became president of Public Speaking Society back in college. However, it takes a lot of mind conditioning before I could do it.
One day, I stumbled upon the word that best describes me- an introvert. I used to think that it was sort of a deficiency but through the years, a deeper part of myself made me realized it is not.
I am an introvert and it’s perfectly fine if I didn’t like speeches or initiating conversations. It’s not because I could not do it. Discernment comes first- should I say it or not?
It’s okay if you don’t see me mingling me with the horde of unknowns. Believe me, I enjoy the company of friends but I’d rather spend some quiet time ‘observing the world.’
I am an introvert and it’s probably not the best thing knowing that I live in an extroverted society but I gather my energy from within and I am focused on inward turning than seeking out external stimulation. The world of an introvert is just more meaningful, more peaceful, and closer to the unknown utopia.
Yes, it’s okay to be an introvert. As Ghandi puts it, “Speak only if it improves upon the silence.”
