I have benefited greatly by learning about Jungian concepts. Among his many contributions to understanding the human psyche, Carl Jung identified and described psychological types. Two of the psychological types he wrote about are extraversion and introversion. People who are extraverted are energized by being with others; they thrive on interaction. People who are introverted, on the other hand, gain energy by having time alone. Another way of describing these qualities is introversion is “inward turning” and “thought oriented” and extraversion is “outward turning” and “action oriented.”
As with all aspects of being human, there is a continuum; the degree of introversion or extraversion varies for each individual. Some people who are extraverted are very outgoing and hate being alone, whereas other people who are extraverted prefer being with people but are comfortable with some alone time as well. And for some people who are introverted, being among people is actually uncomfortable and they avoid being with others unless it is essential. For others, they enjoy some interaction with others but recognize that they also need a certain amount of quiet time.
Knowing that these differences are natural has helped me to understand other people better and to be more accepting of differences. I am more introverted than extraverted, and in the past I would sometimes be uncomfortable around someone who was outgoing and might even question that person’s sincerity. I recognize now that being outgoing is simply an aspect of a person’s personality.
In addition to helping me understand other people better, I also better understand myself. I have a busy life and interact with others in my work. I recognize the imporance for myself of having some quiet, introspective time to recharge. I hope that people reading this post who were not aware of these psychological types will find knowing about them to be helpful in their relationships with others and also in understanding themselves.