To learn more about "It's Okay To Be An Introvert," we reached out to the woman who runs the page, Shireen Boone. Shireen was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and reveal what inspired her to create this account.
"I started my page simply because I felt alone in who I was and wanted to find like-minded people," she shared. "My best friend told me I was an introvert, so I became curious and looked into it. My partner at the time mocked my (unknown) introversion. So the title of the page was really an affirmation for myself. But it became it for many others."
The journey of running this account hasn't always been easy though. "My original page (with over half a million followers) was stolen by a page thief some years back," Shireen noted. "It felt violating."
"I used to allow messages, page follower questions, and submissions, but after my original page was stolen, I shut all of that down," she added. "It really hurt because I did love to connect with people in my own way."
"One of my admins started a new page of the same name, and fortunately, many of my long-term followers came across the new page," Shireen continued. "And though it’s now not as big or as lively as the original page, I quite like the vibe it has and the gentle and respectful nature of those who have been so loyal to me for so long."
As far as how she decides what to post, Shireen says she shares whatever appeals to her. "I have an entire album of my original works on my page. But I honestly am still sharing what speaks to me, and people can either relate to it or not," she told Bored Panda.
Shireen also shared her very favorite post with us. It's one of her original "Introvert Truths" from 2017 that states, "I don't like talking on the phone. If I talk to you on the phone, it means you’re special, or you're emergency services."
"I loved it for me and was so surprised that hundreds of thousands of people have shared and/or commented on it over the years," the creator noted.
If any fellow introverts out there are in need of some wise words, Shireen says to just do you. "Never pretend to be someone you are not, and the right people for you will find you. Or not, if you prefer," she told Bored Panda.
We all love spending time with our closest friends, and making lifelong memories with loved ones is one of the most special things we can do on this Earth. But is it really necessary to be around others all the time? Unless you live alone and work from home, you probably spend the vast majority of your time surrounded by people, especially if you live in a city where you take public transit to get around. And this can often be exhausting.
After a long week of constant social interactions and conversations with others, it can feel incredibly freeing to simply be alone and take some deep breaths. And according to Verywell Mind, a reasonable amount of alone time can actually be beneficial for our mental health. Despite the fact that humans are social creatures by nature, being around others can also create stress. You might feel pressure to act or speak a certain way, and it can be difficult to fully relax while in public.
Some of the benefits you might experience when finally getting some much needed alone time are improved personal exploration, increased creativity and more energy for future social interactions, Verywell Mind notes. When you’re alone, there’s no one distracting you or keeping you from finally finishing that painting or reading that book you’ve been meaning to get around to for weeks.
This can also be a great time to harness your creativity. In fact, one study even found that those of us who make a point to spend time alone tend to be extremely creative. When your brain isn’t constantly being fed stimuli, and you’re not forced to engage with others, you have the opportunity to slow down, relax and let your creative juices flow.
Contrary to what you might assume, living alone can also provide individuals with more energy to socialize. Many of us experienced this during the height of the pandemic. Once we were forced to stay home and the option to hang out with friends was taken away, many of us craved those social interactions. It’s just important for us to be able to choose when we want to be around others, as it is certainly possible to have too much or too little social time.
Even if you consider yourself an extrovert, it’s healthy to be alone with your thoughts from time to time. And if you’re not sure how to know when you should take a step back from socializing, Verywell Mind noted a few factors to consider. First, if you’re feeling short-tempered or irritable, this might be a sign that you should be alone for a bit. Losing interest in socializing or feeling overstimulated can be signals to spend some time alone too. And if you’re having trouble concentrating or getting anxious about being around others, don’t hesitate to cancel your plans and opt for a night in instead.
Now, if you live with roommates or family members, it can often be difficult to find alone time. I already struggle with this at times, and I can’t imagine how much more challenging it can be when you have children. But we all deserve to be able to relax and unwind alone every now and then, so don’t be afraid to make time for yourself. If that means making sure your partner can watch the kids while you go for a walk around the block or do some exercise in the garage, talk to them about it. And if you have to hire a babysitter to play with your little ones for an hour or two while you go out and enjoy a meal by yourself in silence, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Spending some time alone with your thoughts can be more than simply being alone in a room. You might have to turn off social media as well. Even when you’re not really interacting with others online, you can still be impacted by their opinions and content. To truly be by yourself, it’s best to limit these distractions. And by logging off, you’ll eliminate the temptation to compare yourself to others as well.
