I never quite understood why people think I’m shy or anti-social. It’s always been this way. I remember one of my uncles was always trying to get me to hang out with my cousin when I was younger in order to get out an socialize more (we had nothing in common nor did we hang around similar groups of people, so I was never interested).

I’m not shy. I’m introverted. I don’t mind meeting people, but I’m much more of a listener than a talker. I like to think about what I’m going to say before I say it, and I like to talk about stuff that is of substance. No, I’m not really fond of small talk, but I do like to talk. I’ll be quiet at first, to take you in. Then once I’m comfortable, I can talk more. Depending on the topic, I could be a motormouth. I like solitude and I like small groups of company, but large groups can be overwhelming and tiring, especially if I feel the pressure to talk when I’m not ready. In a culture where extroverts tend to be seen as “normal,” it’s easy to feel like others think being an introvert is a bit strange or even not desirable, but I know more people that are closer to the introvert side of the spectrum than the extrovert side.

It’s not strange. It’s really quite normal.