Joan Pastor

It's tough being an introvert in an extrovert's world. But remember that introversion is normal and healthy, just like extroversion. While extroverts thrive on social interaction, introverts prefer quieter pursuits. It's not that introverts hate people; they simply prefer a different style of social interaction, and they generally need it in smaller doses compared to extroverts.

Imagine that you're home one night, happily puttering around the house, when your best friend calls and says, "We're going skiing on Saturday. I know you've never tried it. Want to come along?" If you're an introvert, you'll probably say no, and maybe that's a good decision. But maybe it isn't. It all depends on why you're saying no.

Are you raising an introverted child? If so, you know your innie hates being in the spotlight. And he or she really, really hates having to stand in front of the whole class and give a presentation. What's interesting is that introverted kids often create the best presentations. That's because they dive into their research with gusto, so they're likely to do a great job of exploring their topics.

As an introvert, you have lots of advantages in life. Granted, you may not feel that way when you're forced to make small talk with strangers at an inane social event, but you really do possess enviable qualities. This article takes a quick look at just a handful of them. You're comfortable being a party of one Extroverts like to travel in flocks, and they have a hard time enjoying movies, theater plays, or restaurant meals unless they have company.

As an introvert, you're a deep thinker and you like to consider every angle of a problem. And that's a good thing — except when it leads to something called analysis paralysis. What is analysis paralysis? It's what happens when you get so carried away analyzing every aspect of a situation that you can't come to a decision.