Being an ambivert

I'm not sure if there's anything less useful than calling yourself either an introvert or an extrovert. In fact, I'm not sure anyone even really knows what either of those words means. Loads will use introvert as a synonym for shy, and claim anyone who doesn't spend every waking hour alone is an extrovert instead. In a way, that's not really wrong, and I'm not entirely against people saying this.

I'm more opposed to the idea that people are either or. I'd personally say I'm more introverted; I probably tend to spend more time alone, in deep, introspective thought, and whilst I like being around other people, it can feel meaningless if it feels horribly shallow. That's not to say I'm not prone to wanting to talk to others, or wanting to get my writing out there to try and build deeper connections with others. It's just that, more often than not, I'm more likely to be alone, reading or writing, wondering if the other people will finally text back or initiate.

People seem to like being categorised, it's almost like a hobby for some people. Give someone a label and they'll assign their whole life to it, and if they don't think it works, they'll invent a new one. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I just find it funny when they hang on to the label for dear life when it's so obviously unnecessary. That's how I view introversion and extroversion, to be honest. I'm pretty sure you're not cast into one of them when you're born, destined to live that out for the rest of your life. You can find a loving for clubbing, even if all you've ever been is a lullaby singer. 

There's another label I like for that reason, in fact Carl Jung, the guy who proposed this concept in the first place, would probably agree. It's being an ambivert, or having the ability to share traits of introversion and extroversion. Yes, you can find throbbing house music at a sweaty nightclub to be as fulfilling as reading a book in a cosy corner of a library. Yes, you can find yourself wanting to step away from the limelight, whilst simultaneously craving it. I just so happen to be towards the introverted traits, but that doesn't mean I'm 100% an introvert. 

Maybe there's a benefit to taking the middle road instead of favouring an extreme. Or at least, a middle that's slightly off-balance. Could be worth it, who knows? 

That said, I would never call myself an extrovert, I mean come on.