First of all, I would like to give credit for the title of my article to @tomandlorenzo, who pointed out that there are very few to no articles “on how to be quiet and reflective.”
I decided I would write an article based on my experience! I have ADHD as well as being an extrovert, so I basically have twice the amount of energy as a normal extrovert. Here are some things I have learned over the years to help contain my *extrovertness*
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Think before you speak or act!!!
This applies more to people with ADHD, but most extroverts are talkaholics, (people that talk A LOT), so it’s important to take some time to step back and make sure you are letting everyone speak. In terms of action, make sure to think about how they will be perceived and the consequences of these actions.
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Divert your energy into someone or something.
A lot of people with ADHD will put their energy into sports, which is great! Unfortunately, I didn’t use exercise to expel my energy. I talk and hang out with people to exert my energy. But either way, find something you can put your spunk into!
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Make sure to recharge with spending time with people.
You know how introverts say they “NEED ALONE TIME”, well extroverts need the opposite. We need to be around people to recharge our energy. Most extroverts have plenty of friends because people love to be around positive high energy people, but if you don’t, try going to make some friends to do stuff with. It will fuel your soul.
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Take a moment to monitor how much you are talking in the conversation and the volume of your voice.
I have a hearing problem as well, so I talk alot, loudly. It wasn’t until this year that it was pointed out to me, so every once in a while I will check my volume so I don’t hurt the ears of the people I’m talking to.
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Silence doesn’t need to be filled with your voice.
I know it’s a hard concept to understand, but sometimes people don’t need your input. I learned that the hard way. Be sure to think before you speak. Think “will this contribute to the conversation?” if the answer is no, then keep yours lips sealed until someone asks for your voice. I have learned to observe in college, and it has benefited me alot.
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Reflect on your day as much as you can.
One interesting thing that helps me is going over everything I did that day. I evaluate what I did right, what I did wrong, what I should do tomorrow, etc. there are some days where I think back and realize I probably shouldn’t have done this or that. But I can take that experience and remember what to do the next time something similar happens.
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Extroverts aren’t better than Introverts
I think one reason there hasn’t been an article about extroverts is that a lot of people believe that extroverts have life so much easier. We are able to talk to small and large groups of people with confidence, while introverts hate public speaking (it’s the 3rd most popular fear). But trust me, things aren’t easy all the time. Extroverts often share their thoughts when no one asked for their opinion. I have noticed that people are attracted to large personalities, but actually interacting and communicating with extroverts is like talking to a megaphone. It’s nice to have a conversation with an equal amount of contribution from everyone. Remember to let other people talk!
That’s all I have for this week! Good luck to my fellow extroverts! Spread your spunk! (but remember to let other people talk too) :)