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What is an Ambivert?
I am offering an explanation of what it is to be an extroverted introvert.
Most people are familiar with the terms introvert and extrovert.
To generalize: An introvert is someone who tends to keep to themselves, and mostly work from inside their own head. An extrovert is someone who tends to get energized by being with others and works best when they can be open and seen.
So what if you do not tend to fall into either of these categories? Then you are most likely an ambivert.
An ambivert is someone who is both introverted and extroverted. In other words, a person who is neither one nor the other, because they are both.
Merriam-Webster online defines it thus:
Ambivert — noun
: a person having characteristics of both extrovert and introvert
The term was first used in 1927, coined by psychologist Dr. Kimball Young.
I learned about this concept a couple of years ago. It resonates for me rather a lot, because I find that I am both an introvert and an extrovert, depending on circumstances.
The introvert
First and foremost, I am a writer. As such, I spend a whole lot of time inside my head.