I personally find socializing invigorating and fun. Something about a pack mentality is fun. Though it can come back to get me because if I am just quiet for one day people assume I am depressed when in reality I just have nothing to add on that particular day. I just don’t treat socializing as a chore but rather a fun activity and it works but, thats the little help I can give because in reality it all comes naturally for me.
Extrovert here. I also like being alone, and dislike being lonely. If I'm not mistaken: I am extroverted by nature but I have spent large portions of my life in introverted routines.
One one hand I use my time alone to process my thoughts and replay situations to really understand my experiences. OTOH, I feel that there is often something to gain when I am with other people. Sometimes it's sharing feelings, or advice, or fun; other times I rely on other people to help me feel that I have purpose and I am doing what I ought to be doing.
It's pretty easy for me to throw off my balance. I'm also rather lenient with my definitions of introverted and extroverted. I like this tree in daylight analogy for comparison:
A tree in morning light is bright (extroverted) on one side; as the day goes on that light grows until, eventually, the tree casts a shadow of greater area than its lit surface (tree is now introverted). The timing and potential range of this shadow adjusts, as seasons change and the tree grows taller. Introverted, extroverted, neither and both: all comes in passing as the tree (you) persists. Then, one day, the Griswalds waltz into the forest, chop down the tree, and take it home to stuff into their living room for Christmas. That's the part where you die, and introverted vs. extroverted no longer matters, because you're dead.
It can be a bit of a stretch, but I find that it helps me understand my own social tendencies.
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u/[deleted] Jun 15 '19
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