Introverts: How do you see your extroverted selves?

I'm usually pretty comfortable acting as an extrovert, though most of my close friends know that I'm normally pretty introverted. Usually I'm at my most comfortable telling a story or a joke, or having a one-on-one conversation, as opposed to a more free-form, round-table discussion.

I guess I enjoy more intimate extroversion, as opposed to riotous party extroversion - though the idea, the concept, is very attractive, the reality tends to wear me down and make me want to find a corner to watch from.

Sometimes I wonder if this just means I enjoy being a big fish in a little pond.
 
Zeitgeist said:
I'm usually pretty comfortable acting as an extrovert, though most of my close friends know that I'm normally pretty introverted. Usually I'm at my most comfortable telling a story or a joke, or having a one-on-one conversation, as opposed to a more free-form, round-table discussion.

I guess I enjoy more intimate extroversion, as opposed to riotous party extroversion - though the idea, the concept, is very attractive, the reality tends to wear me down and make me want to find a corner to watch from.
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Same here.
 
I'm never an extravert.
 
When extraverted, I am very eager to grasp for attention. I do, I build, I make - but is it with the sole intent to impress? Or is it because I enjoy doing those things and simply want to show others? I'm inclined to believe the latter.


But yeah, I can get pretty exuberant. I wear bright colors, whip out the ol' razor scooter, jam on my guitar, etc. It's a lot of fun, but so is thinking by myself. I guess I figure if I'm going to be around people, I might as well make it count. Acting shy while around people is just about as draining, and not nearly as much fun.
 
I do, I build, I make - but is it with the sole intent to impress? Or is it because I enjoy doing those things and simply want to show others? I'm inclined to believe the latter.
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I tend to think that the intentions for such things are good - I'm a writer by trade, and I like to think that I'm helping to enrich someone's life, if only by giving them an escape hatch from their lives if they need it - and that if someone is impressed and tells you so, that's an extra reward we get for doing a good thing.

Just so long as we don't let it go to our heads, of course ;)
 
I know exactly how you feel. It's an odd phenomenon that is particularly difficult to explain to those who've I've met while in my 'extroverted zone.' When I unwind, and I return to my more familiar and comfortable Introverted self, I confuse people. They aren't sure what to expect from me, and typically, I lose potential friends because of it.

I read in an article that INFJs typically portray traits of an ESTP when they are stressed and don't have an outlet that enables them to confine themselves. I've experienced this, and a whole world of things and actions come pouring out of my mouth and being that are very far from my nature. Sometimes the impression I give is undesirable; sometimes, it gains me respect.
 
In short; as an idiot, I hate playing the extravert but feel obliged to if no-one will take the role of filling awkward silences. However, I find more silences awkward than most people, thus appear an awkward speaker of nonsense to many.
 
I don't really notice mine anymore. It just sort of happens when I'm around friends (although when I'm only with one friend it disappears after a while).
I just talk more and try to crush the horrible near-social phobia I've had since I was a child (I still find it hard to go up to buy things in shops). I also have a smile stuck on my face the whole time, like a nervous tick. Weird.
 
My extroverted side is a funny bastard actually. It was well trained by my best friend as a kid who is an ENTP, and might be one of the funniest human beings alive. I can only aspire, but my Ni did learn how to master the art of witty repartee from him.

My extroverted side is very Fe. It cares a lot about people, wants to know them, help them, and make life better for them. Unfortunately, as we all know with us INFJs, if you get our Fe to start talking about something it is passionate about... good luck getting a word in edge wise.

Unfortunately, my extroverted side is also quite crass and prone to naughty humor (probably my Ti shining through) if it seems to be making people laugh, as well as being a consummate flirt, though I blame that bit on my Se which I learned much later in life.
 
Tutti Frutti said:
Wow! That is exactly me! Sometimes I'm so convinced I am introverted cos everyday I pretty much live inside my own head, but then when I'm yeah around introverted people I come out completely - like I have nothing to hide. But then around extroverted people it's like I feel guilty for being introverted and I feel as though I should have a life like they do - full of these events and all these friends and stuff. It makes me question myself.
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Exactly mee too. It's a difficult way to live, its also a very secretive life. I'm afraid to get too close to people because once they find out what my extroverted side is like they don't like me. So I walk around in this strange world.

How can we solve this issue? Is this really a introverted/extroverted issue or does it more involve insecurity?
 
Exhaustingly fun.
 
My extraverted self knows what she is doing she just gets exhausted. She can lead a meeting or teach a class, and knows how to handle herself socially, but she will always feel the need to find a quiet beach somewhere soon. I like her. :wink:
 
Smartass comedian. Fun times.
 
April said:
i get excited and talk a lot, and interrupt people to finish my thought which is probably boring them but which i find immensely interesting and so try to convince them of it, lol. in arguments i also become pretty extroverted and passionate, and lose my objectivity which can be annoying. how do i generally 'see' my extroverted self? as an idiot :P
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LOL are we the same person?

Obviously not, but seriously, this is pretty much me right here.
 
ImNotFullyJressed said:
How can we solve this issue? Is this really a introverted/extroverted issue or does it more involve insecurity?
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That's exactly what I was thinking.. once I was talking to my mum about this, and I told her sometimes I feel I've said too much to someone I don't even care about, and their opinions affect me. She told me, "You know what that it, right?" and I said, "No, what is it?"
She said, "Acceptance. You're looking for acceptance from people. I do it a lot, too."

From then on, whenever I talk to much, I say to myself, "Alana, shut up! Why did you just give all that information to that idiot?!" because I've found it entitles people to give you all their opinions, which sometimes makes me feel even worse about myself, when what I really want is them to like me.

An introvert I always always identify with is John Mayer.. he even has this song 'My Stupid Mouth'. It is so me! I wish I could accept myself, not constantly trying to get it from those around me...
 
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