Some of you might know that secretly (oh, secret's out NOW, isn't it?) I think I started out as an introvert. I remember feeling quite shy a lot of my early childhood and a few of my earliest report cards note that I'm quiet but caring. Somewhere around ages 7 or 8, that changed. Maybe it was because we moved three times before I was 10 and I had to learn to make friends fast. Or maybe it was the coaxing of my parents to come out of my shell. Anyways, I ended up the hyperactive loudmouth so many of you now know and love.
Admittedly--being an extrovert--I've always had a hard time empathizing with the introverted point of view. Why WOULDN'T you want to be the center of attention? It's so fun! Why WOULDN'T you want to be friends with everyone in the room? Look at all those potential best buddies! Karaoke is AWESOME! GIVE ME A PIGGYBACK RIDE!!! (Okay, maybe some of those also have to do with my intrinsic hyperactivity as well. I promise my manic tendencies are merely an excess of energy, not a symptom of mental instability.)
ANYWAYS. I can find it frustrating to hang out with people who are introverted. And I bet you that introverted folk feel the same way about us crazy loudmouthed extroverts. Which is why the handy little aforementioned chart is particularly helpful. Not all the tips will apply to all extroverts, but eight of the ten are perfect for me, so keep these things in mind when dealing with your extroverted friends. And forgive their foibles with grace. I have a tendency to speak before I think, and will apologize as soon as I've said something I realize is offensive or stupid. Forgiveness with grace speaks volumes about you as a person.
Now that I've got that off my chest, WHO WANTS TO GIVE ME A PIGGYBACK RIDE?!?
