I don’t have the audacity to assume that all introverts are like me. So I took a sample of 5,572 people who took Queendom’s Extroversion/Introversion Test to back me up. I fear that we, the introverts, have been wildly misunderstood:

• We do enjoy making friends. In fact, 50% of my sample indicated that they enjoy getting acquainted with at least some people, but prefer to become intimate friends with a chosen few.

• We do enjoy attending parties – we just won’t hang out until the wee hours of the morning.

• At least 40% of us prefer to split up our free time between time spent with others and time spent alone. So you’ll get to see us sometimes, but we won’t overstay our welcome.

• Yes, we generally prefer to work alone, but at least 31% of us don’t mind interspersing solo projects with team projects.

• When we don’t share our feelings or problems with you, it’s not because we dislike emotional intimacy. We simply prefer to mull our issues over on our own, and then come up with a solution. If we’re stuck, we’ll ask for advice.

• We don’t like being put on the spot, but that’s not because we aren’t quick on our feet. You want a sensible, well thought-out answer? Give us time to contemplate it and we’ll deliver something amazing.

• Trust is very important to us. We won’t share our innermost thoughts and feelings after the first day we’ve met you. At least 48% of us will open up to you, but only after you have earned our trust. That’s why 86% of us are more reserved with new people, not anti-social. We’re “feeling you out” and deciding whether you are someone with which we can share our secrets.

• No, we don’t always talk much, but we tend to be good listeners.

• For 47% of us, having an active social life is important.

• We use alone time to recharge and unwind. Being around people too much can be draining…like how most people feel after working too much, or spending too much time with their in-laws. Don’t we all want to get away from the crazy hubbub sometimes?

• Just because we don’t always share our feelings, it doesn’t mean that feelings make us uncomfortable. You’d be surprised how empathetic we are. Given that we’re not always the one talking, it gives us time to observe people and better understand them. Plus, we tend to be good at reading body language.

And in case we haven’t convinced you that being introverted is NOT a disorder, here are some of our introverted, kindred spirits:

Abraham Lincoln

Albert Einstein

Emma Watson

Audrey Hepburn

Steven Spielberg

Mahatma Gandhi

Insightfully yours,

Queen D