Oh leftovers, you make lunch so darn easy.
Dinner last night was one of our favorite go-to simple winter dinners: Italian sausage with peppers and onions. It’s a set it and forget it kind of meal that tastes great every time!
For lunch I ate a bowl of the leftover Italian chicken sausage and veggies with a side of cheese toast, prepared on a honey wheat English muffin.
Veggies, lean protein, whole grains! Woo!
Now brace yourself for some long-winded psychology talk. I just kept goin’ and goin’ on this one because I could talk about psychology and Myers-Briggs for hours. I find it fascinating!
Introvert vs. Extrovert
When I was a senior in college, I interned in the public relations department at the Florida Municipal Power Agency. I briefly touched on the positive experience I had at the company in the post where I met up with my former boss, Mark, for lunch on the day I announced we were moving to Ocala on the blog.
In that post, I mentioned how the company had every employee take the Myers-Briggs personality test so everyone could better understand their coworker’s personalities. Every employee’s results were then posted outside their office, which was helpful to me because I knew before approaching a colleague the ways that they preferred to communicate.
After answering a lot of questions, the Myers-Briggs test assigns you letters to define your personality:
- Extroversion (E) or Introversion (I): Do you prefer to focus on the outer world or on your own inner world?
- Sensing (S) or Intuition (N): Do you prefer to focus on the basic information you take in or do you prefer to interpret and add meaning?
- Thinking (T) or Feeling (F): When making decisions, do you prefer to first look at logic and consistency or first look at the people and special circumstances?
- Judging (J) or Perceiving (P): In dealing with the outside world, do you prefer to get things decided or do you prefer to stay open to new information and options?
I honestly cannot remember all of my letter results (I wish I would’ve kept them!), but I do remember that I was labeled an extrovert. This didn’t really surprise me based on the stereotypes I had in my head for what I thought classified people as an introvert or an extrovert.
You know, the crazies of the world. 
As I began to talk with the woman from Myers-Briggs who administered the test and my boss, I actually realized that I have a lot of introverted tendencies. They told me that from a psychological standpoint, this is quite common. Many people are both introverts and extroverts, with one side only slightly dominating.
I also found it fascinating when my boss told me that his wife is actually an introvert. His wife was one of my favorite professors in college and was as bubbly and outgoing as they come.
Knowing that she tested an “introvert” helped me understand that the Myers-Briggs test didn’t determine whether you were an introvert or an extrovert the way we seem to. If you’re quiet, you must be an introvert. If you’re loud, you must be an extrovert. Not so with Myers-Briggs!
It boiled down to where you get your energy, the woman from Myers-Briggs explained. Extroverts get their energy from the outside world while introverts get their energy internally, she said. Introverts often need alone time to feel rejuvenated and alive, but they can still be quite outgoing! Extroverts feel alive around people, but may still be rather quiet in social situations, according to Myers-Briggs.
I feel like I flirt with the line between extroversion and introversion. I definitely feed off the energy and excitement of others, but I absolutely need alone time to recharge and collect myself before go-go-going.
When I think of someone who is a true extrovert from a Myers-Briggs standpoint, I think of my good friend Merri. She is so fun, social and excitable and when we talked about this before, she said that she could be around people for days and days on end without feeling the need to be by herself.
I guess that’s where my introverted side comes in.
I love being around people, but need time to myself. This was something Ryan actually learned about me when we moved in together (see point number four on this post), and something that he thought was a little unexpected given the fact that I am rather outgoing in social situations. I get excited, talkative and energetic around people, but I love being by myself at times, too.
I think that’s why I really, really loved the Myers-Briggs test. At times I’ve felt like people expect me to be able to go, go, go and be outgoing all the time because I am naturally rather social, but I do need time to myself to recollect and I find too much social stimulation draining.
If you’re a psychologist, I’d love to learn more about what you think of the Myers-Briggs test and how you personally define introversion and extroversion, as I know there are a lot of opinions and studies out there.
Question of the Afternoon
- Would you define yourself as an introvert or an extrovert… or a bit of both?
- Do you feel like you get the most energy from being around others, or do you need time alone to feel rejuvenated?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
I’m an ISFJ. As I’m getting older, I’m realizing just how much alone time I need. Living with 5 other people really wears me out!
We did the test in high school and i was ENFP! I did it again recently and now i’m ESFP! Funny how life changes and we changed too! I love learning about people and their personalities 🙂
Introvert here. I am a teacher, a mom, PTA board member,etc, etc…so I definitely recharge by having quiet, alone time. My husband travels weekly and I find I am a kinder, nicer person when he comes home because I have had a few quiet moments at night when the house is quiet and I can read, watch a movie, or have a glass of wine in absolute silence :-).
Geez I said quiet a lot int above post…guess I really do like to be alone 😉
I love that you broke this down and went in-depth about the real meaning of extrovert vs. introvert. As a teenager, I once had a “friend’ tell me introverts were just selfish. That made me so self-conscious for SUCH a long time that people might see me that way!
In professional situations I can mostly overcome my introvert tendencies. Though I still have lots of trouble taking phone calls. I hate talking to someone and not having the info they need, or the answer to their question right away, so sometimes I still let calls roll to voicemail so I find out what they need without my stammering and apologizing all over the place. E-mail is a godsend for this.
Social events with people I don’t know very well are where I really struggle. A cocktail party where I know one other person? My personal nightmare. Luckily, my husband is a classic extrovert and I let him lead the way and break the ice for me when we’re at events together. I’ve even told him that’s what I’m doing, and why I do it, so he understands better.
Where we really differ as a couple is how to spend down time. After working all day and being “on” with people, I like to stay home, cook a nice dinner, and watch TV/take a walk/read a book until bed. My husband thinks doing this every night is boring, and prefers to meet colleagues and friends for drinks/dinner a couple times a week. We’re still newlyweds, so we’re still working out the kinks. 🙂
great post! so true for many of us:)
The Myers-Brigg testing/analysis is very fascinating! I’ve tested several times & have always come out an ISTJ. I am definitely introverted (although I’m plenty talkative once I get to know people) 🙂 I’ve actually been trying to use my MB results to try to come up with my next career plan (I’ve been out of college for nearly 8 years & have been at the same job since – I don’t think it’s a career I can do for life).
I am definitely more of an introvent. Both in the commonly thought of way and in the I need my alone time way. One of my room mates in college would always have people over and there were times when I would just need to go be by myself in my room.
My company did something really similar to that a few weeks ago! It really has been helping our team dynamic already. I’m INFJ which is me to a T. Supposedly it’s a more rare personality type which obvs made me feel special 😉
I’m definitely an introvert. I had to take this test during college and can’t remember my letter combo either, but I definitely clam up around a lot of people and prefer to be alone most of the times. That’s not to say that I don’t adore the few (super close) friends I have… I only become bubbly and outgoing if I’ve gotten to know you, otherwise I’m friendly but more reserved around aquaintances and strangers and throwing parties at my house is exhausting lol.
I think I’m a little bit of both depending on the situation. Most of the time though, I think I’m more introverted. I’ve definitely come out of my shell quite a bit. I used to be REALLY shy. Sometimes I like to be alone to feel rejuvenated. Most of the time I prefer to be around others. 🙂
I absolutely hate things like the MB, because it teaches people that their personality is a fixed atribute and they can’t change it. Oh, I’m like x because i’m y. It’s simply not true. It’s okay for someone like you, but I think for people who are shy or introverts in the traditional sense can use it as a justification to hold themselves back.
I’m a school psychologist, and one of my professors in grad school seriously thought that the MB was like, law. He had all of us take it, and he would assume things about you and your personality based on your results. It was crazy. Yes, I’m an extrovert. But that doesn’t mean that I ALWAYS want to be around people. In fact, I’m actually one of those people who really really needs alone time. But I’m an extrovert in the sense that I’m comfortable around new groups of people, I’m talkative, etc. But in his mind, if it said I was an Extrovert on the MB, I was an extrovert in every sense of the word.
So I think tests such as the MB can be useful tools, but I also think you have to be careful to not “pigeon hole” people based on the results. We’re humans, not computers. We’re not going to act the exact same way in every situation just because a test says we fit into a certain category!
I definitely think I toe the line between an introvert and extrovert. I LOVE being around people and have so much fun in groups, but I definitely need my alone time to recharge and relax. I think if I didn’t have my alone time I would go crazy!
I feel that most everyone has their introverted/extroverted states depending upon situation, but in general I think I lean towards the introverted state. When I’m comfortable around a person, as most people, I can be very loud, charismatic, bubbly, friendly, etc. But I do think to myself a lot and I love my alone time. I enjoy peace and quiet (to an extent!) and going to a big party with lots of unfamiliar people and just chatting it up with them is just not my scene.
Cool topic and fun discussion. I’ve always been an introvert! Some people think I do well in social situations, any I may, but I need time to recover after a big event – and I’m not fond of back-to-back-to-back social events! I poop out on people quick! (Never on cats.)
Funny! I am actually reading a book on all of this, and I have recently became very interested in the subject. I am an INTJ. 😀
I’m currently in grad school getting my MBA and we talk about personality tests, specifically Myers Briggs, in a lot of my classes.
I am an introvert. However, if you told my friends I was introverted with would laugh in your face! You are totally right the label being more about where you get your energy from vice how loud you are! My teacher always used the example that and introverted person can be a 2nd grade teacher (someone who is around a lot of people all day) BUT that person will probably be much more exhausted when he/she gets home because being around so many people takes A LOT of energy.
The test also has to do with your enviornment. If you’ve ever taken the test, you know some of the questions are very vague. If you answer them in a “life” mindset, you will probably get different answers than if you answer them as if you were in a “work” environment.
I love my friends and I’m definitely loud and crazy with them…but I am not that way at all at work I am very quiet. I am an new so I am learning, and I like to sit back and watch and listen and learn before I start spouting off at the mouth! With my friends however, I sometimes won’t shut the eff up.
Very interesting stuff though!
I am an INFP. My husband and I had to take it before we got married. We’re Catholic, so we had to go to Pre-Cana, and in that we had to take the test along with several other personality/compatibility type tests.
I am the epitome of an introvert. I thrive on my alone time and being in social settings is completely draining. I don’t mind being around people, but not super large crowds in small spaces!
I went to a women’s leadership conference a few years ago where they explained, in almost precisely the same words you just did, the intro-versus extravert dynamic with regards to where you get your energy from. I think many people think that introverts are inherently shy or even antisocial. I am an unequivocal introvert, but I actually am not shy at all, and love interacting with people….as long as I get an adequate dose of recharge time afterwards.
Great post!
Great post – totally agree… I love being around people as long as I have some time alone as well. Introversion and extroversion are often misunderstood and misinterpreted to conveniently fit one’s point 😉