A shy extrovert?? Really?

[Gema J]

One of my professors gave us the same definitions definitions of Extrovert and Introvert which I found to be most practical and didn't attach any stigmatisms.

He said that an extrovert is a person who "gains energy" from being around people and "loses energy" by being alone and vice versa. Meaning that an extrovert feels more refreshed, energetic, and aware in a public setting but becomes fatigued, uneasy, and disconnected when alone (while introverts are the opposite), like you stated. He asked us where we feel most comfortable and what we do to recharge.

Shyness, social skills, and the rest don't fully apply with this definition. So yes, it is possible to be a shy extrovert--and judging from your additional notes, that's what you are.

Perhaps the shyness has other origins; maybe it's a fear of making a bad first impression, of being rejected, or of embarrassment. Or it could just be the usual apprehension most humans have when meeting new people; because they're new, you don't know what to expect or how to react. As a result, you feel shyness until you're certain how much you can open up to them and how much they will open up to you.

Being extremely talkative is also a different issue. Some people have more anecdotes to tell; others love listening to anecdotes (I had a friend who seldom spoke but loved being around people as she loved to listen and learn from them). People express themselves in relationships differently, and even communication takes many different forms.

Don't let a stigma be attached to you whether its shy, extroverted, introverted, talkative, or whatever. Just be yourself. Someone is always going to have a label, and most of those labels aren't worth a hill of beans. If you have friends you can trust and know what you like to do, the labels are worthless.