Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

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Whenever I've taken a Myers-Briggs test, I have been right on the border between being an introvert and an extrovert.  I always had a hard time understanding the difference between introversion and extroversion because I always thought that if I was an introvert that meant that I didn't like people, which is definitely not the case.  I love people and have a hard time being by myself for too long!  I finally started to understand the difference between introversion and extroversion when I heard it explained as where you get your energy from.  Meaning, that if you're an introvert you usually get your energy from being alone and if you're an extrovert, you usually get your energy from being with people.  When I look at it that way, it makes perfect sense to me why I would be right on the border between them because I definitely change where my energy comes from depending on my mood.

There are some days, like yesterday, where the last thing I want to do is be around people.  I spend all day with students demanding my attention, usually with several of them wanting my attention at the same time, so it's no wonder that I want some time to myself when I come home.  Yesterday, I had just had it with my students.  One of them was doing something that she knew was making me upset and she wouldn't stop even though I asked her to stop several times.  The only thing I wanted to do was come home and take a nap.  I didn't want anyone else around me and even had a hard time with the animals who all seemed to want my attention the minute I got home.

But after I had taken a nap I was all ready to see people.  Our friends from church get together every Thursday and, though I had originally said I wasn't up to coming, I changed my mind after I'd had some time to myself.  And I'm glad I went to hang out with them.  I had a great time catching up with them and I got to meet Andrew's boss and his boss's wife.

I'm still not sure if I would say I'm an introvert or an extrovert, but I'm happy knowing that some combination of time to myself and time with people seems to work for me.