The Introverted Owls

It's very easy to be busy in our lives and put our mental health at the very bottom of our list of priorities, if we put it at all. Our minds are extraordinary, but we need to guide them to recognize certain patterns because they won't do it on their own.  Our daily behavior is a perfect indicator of our mental health and one of the many habits we need to keep an eye on is called emotional mirroring. What Is Mirroring? First, you need to keep in mind what is meant by mirroring. It is exactly what the term implies—the behavior in which one person tends to imitate another person's attitude. This can include the way someone speaks, makes eye contact, or makes certain gestures with their hands.  When we mirror someone, we aren't really aware that we're doing it unless it is pointed out. Our bodies tend to do that as a way to build rapport and it's a sign that you're comfortable within your social setting. It is a good thing.  What Is Emotional Mirroring? Based o

Confrontation is a terrifying concept for introverts. We don't face how we feel head-on and we always need time to process things. So when something happens that upsets us, we simply don't know how to voice our feelings about it on the spot. Our defense mechanism is staying quiet about it, acting like there's nothing wrong, and keeping it lingering in our thoughts.  How introverts deal with conflict goes something like this: 1. Someone says something or does something hurtful.  2. The first instinct of an introvert is not reacting, mostly because they will be in shock of what took place. They go numb and not mention anything about the incident.  3. Overthinking starts to overwhelm them, which could go on for days. Details get blown out of proportion as they start to analyze the situation thoroughly. The other person has no idea. 4. They decide they are really upset about this. 5. They want to confront that person but chicken out every time because the i

Do you notice your child being the one always excited when there's a show or presentation in front of a big audience? Is your child the one initiating activities and being with friends?  Extroverts are most commonly linked to being quite an outward personality. They don't shy away from conversations, activities, public speaking, or socializing. It's easy to miss the signs if they are also highly sensitive because these two personality traits are not usually linked. They contradict each other. However, did you know that 30% of highly sensitive people are actually extroverts?  Here are 7 signs your child is a highly sensitive extrovert: 1. Your kid has a high sense of empathy and kindness.  2. They pay attention to the details. 3. Despite being very outgoing at ease, they sometimes require time to recharge after a long day. 4. Unlike highly sensitive introverts, they get bored if they spend too much time alone. 5. They have a deep process of thinking about every

It's easy to assume that all extroverts are the same. When the word extrovert comes to mind, you would probably associate it with someone who is social and outgoing, someone who has no problem speaking their mind. While that's true, it might come as a surprise to learn that each extroverted personality has a specific preference when it comes to communication. This information could come in handy the next time you interact with your extroverted friends or your extroverted boss. You can check the Preferred Interaction Styles of Introverts from our last post. Similarly, there are 8 Extroverted Personalities as described in the Myers-Briggs Type Instrument (MBTI) . These personalities are divided as such based on  Sensing and INtuition; Thinking and Feeling; Judging and Perceiving personality traits. The Interaction Style Module, created by psychologist and typologist Linda Berens,  divides extroverts into two categories: 1. Get-Things-Going Interaction Style (ENFP, ES

Every introverted personality type as described by the Myers-Briggs Type Instrument (MBTI)  leans towards an interaction style or a preferred way of communication . Imagine if you understood the best way to approach your loved ones or even your colleagues based on their personality type . Imagine if people around you went the extra mile to understand your preferences . Communicating wouldn't be such a hard thing to do! This is your first step towards effective communication that will help you in every aspect of your life, personal and professional.  There are 8 Introverted Personality Types   according to Myers-Briggs revolving around Sensing and INtuition; Thinking and Feeling; Judging and Perceiving personality traits. You can check out each one in more detail  here . Linda Berens is a psychologist and typologist who developed the Interaction Styles Module . The  8 introverted personalities are divided into two groups: 1- Behind-the-Scenes Interaction Style ( INFP,

There are many reasons why it's important to be mindful about what affects your energy . What you choose to eat and whether or not you  exercise are great factors to consider, no doubt, yet most of us seem to forget other equally important aspects. The rhythm of our thoughts, emotions, and feelings go side by side with our energy. The environment we are in and the people we interact with decide how peaceful or how stressful we are .  Stress depletes our energy. Negativity depletes our energy. You could also be giving too much of your energy away to the point that so little or none at all remains for you, which is common for empaths and highly sensitive people . Empaths often experience compassion fatigue , which results from being too empathetic by nature. You could even be feeling what is known as an introvert hangover , which happens when an introvert personality gets too overwhelmed with external stimuli and doesn't spend enough time recharging .  We have to be ab

When we're young, most of us fall into the trap of choosing a university major and consequently a career based on what is expected of us. We feel an obligation to fulfill what our parents, for example, think we should be doing with our lives or choose a career that is seen as more prestigious by those around us than what we really want to do. Sometimes, the issue is deeper than that. It's the fact that we don't know ourselves enough at that early yet critical stage of our lives to grasp what works for us and our personalities . The reality is we spend more time at work than anywhere else. It's important to be happy and satisfied with the path we've chosen.  Consider yourself lucky if you figured out your personality type before settling on a career. But don't get too caught up on the timing, you can always follow your passion no matter what stage you're at. You just have to be brave enough to learn and start. Personally, I read up on introverts wa

There are great Benefits to Knowing Your Personality Type . It opens doors for you that you didn't know you needed open, which signifies the beauty of self-awareness. You've probably wondered and tried to figure out at some point whether you're an introvert or an extrovert . This simple Breakdown of the Myers-Briggs Type Instrument (MBTI) shows that there are 8 Introverted Personalities and 8 Extroverted Personalities .  Usually, you'll find yourself leaning more towards one or the other. But what if it's not that easy?  You should know that none of us are 100% extroverts or 100% introverts. We all fall on a long spectrum. Even the most introverted people have their extroverted moments, and vice versa. The greatest misconception about introverts is that they're shy when in reality we just like to process things more in our heads before we speak, and we hate small talk! We look for deep and meaningful conversations. If you find yourself having s

Empaths are all too familiar with the need to help someone in pain and make them feel better no matter the cost, even if it means we put their needs above our own.  It's who we are.  Every empath will probably have crossed paths with a narcissist or a few in their lives. Most empaths will have even ended up in a relationship with a narcissistic personality . The phrase "opposites attract" is quite fitting when it comes to narcissists and empaths . They are infinitely drawn towards each other. If you think about it, an empathic person represents the perfect victim to someone with narcissistic tendencies . On the same level, it would be very hard for an empath to avoid falling in their traps.   You have two extremely different personality types . Any relationship between them causes an endless amount of despair and emotional exhaustion , particularly to the empath . A common explanation for such a deadly attraction is simply because balance is required; it is belie

Contrary to what it may seem, e mpathy is quite complicated. It goes way beyond just sympathizing or feeling compassion for someone or about something. If you feel like you've always had the ability to truly put yourself in another person's shoes and feel what they're feeling like it's your own, you might be an empath . There are many different kinds of empathy .  Did you know that there are 6 different types of empaths ? Read on to discover which type of empath you may be:  1- The Emotional Empath This type of empaths is the most common one. If you're an emotional empath , it's very easy for you to feel other people's emotions and their effect within your own body. Your emotional state changes in a second to mimic the other person's emotions and feelings, no matter what your emotional state was before encountering them. 2- The Physical Empath Someone who is a physical empath will naturally pick up the energy of someone's body and feel

The first time I found out about  extroverts vs. introverts , it was about 4 years ago. It was way after I graduated from college. I knew that people can act differently, but it was never defined for me. Later, I learned from my life that none of us are 100% extroverted or 100% introverted. We all fall somewhere in between yet identify more with one side. For me, it depends on the people I'm with. I can get really talkative and show enthusiasm when socializing if I'm with the right people. Other times, I'll be in my head more and people would get the impression that I'm a quiet/shy person who doesn't know how to socialize.  When someone seems outgoing and friendly, they are seen as extroverts. This is not the full definition of an extroverted personality though. Yes, they are outgoing and easy to talk to, but an introvert can be those things too sometimes.  Extroversion is a personality trait that describes someone who is energized from being around people. T

I remember the day I took the Myers Briggs personality test like it was yesterday. It was completely random. I came across an article about "signs you might be an INFJ ." I was just curious as to what that was so I opened it. As I read every point, I felt overwhelmed because all of them fit my personality. I kept thinking "It's not a me thing, it's an INFJ thing!!" Somehow I've gone through my entire adult life thinking nobody will ever understand how I see things or how I feel about certain things. And I've gotten used to that idea so I mostly bottled things up deep inside. It's very rare that I open up to someone because of that very feeling and you can imagine how that affects all kinds of relationships. After I read that article, I took the online personality test  (more than once) and it was confirmed. I'm an INFJ , the rarest personality type in the world— the "counselors" who often feel misunderstood so they tend to hide

Have you ever been interested to find out why each one of us acts in their own unique way? There are a lot of aspects that define who we are. Aside from the culture surrounding us or the way our parents raise us, we all have certain aspects of our personality we were already born with. Humans have forever been interested in categorizing personalities. Numerous research has already been done on the subject—the most famous system being the MBTI or the Myers-Briggs Type Instrument. It's a very fascinating topic once you start reading in it and find out where you fit in. Believe me, it's a life changer! Here's what you need to know. What Is Personality Typing? Personality Typing can be described as a structure that divides people into respective groups according to their pattern of thinking or behavior and how they are likely to act in certain situations. Typing helps define a clear system that highlights different kinds of people according to their specific personali