Eva Bozimo: Being an Ambivert is the Best of Both Worlds

I have always struggled with the question, “Are you an introvert or an extrovert?” I never really understood where I fit. I would have my colleagues/acquaintances thinking I was this quiet, shy girl, while my friends would laugh at the thought.

I knew I wasn’t an introvert, but I definitely wasn’t an extrovert, so what was I? And so, being someone who loves seeking knowledge, I came across the term ambiverts, which basically means “a person who has the balance of extrovert and introvert features in their personality.” I never really understood why different situations and places dictated my personality – why I get calm and reserved when I’m around a bunch of introverts, and I get excited and hyper when around extroverts. I‘m pretty much like a mirror to people and situations, and I never understood it.

You’re dating a guy who is very outgoing and you don’t have a problem with it because you can totally do the night life three times a week. It’s fun and exciting. Or you’re dating an introverted person and that’s perfectly fine because, guess what, you love watching shows and staying home doing nothing, too. That is it, I feed off whatever energy I get. Whatever it is I rise or bend to the occasion.

I can go out and be the life of the party till all of a sudden my energy drops and I just want to go home. I love the spotlight, but I prefer to decide when I want it. The introverted side of me needs solitude. This could be watching TV, writing, reading books, listening to music or just sleeping. Oh dear, small talk gives me so much anxiety. I’d rather have meaningful, in-depth conversations. Being alone is me pretty much hanging out with myself. I meditate, relax and reflect.

Today my phone is on silent because I don’t want humans to contact me. I love and look forward to it until I get sick of it and the extroverted side kicks in. This side loves the spotlight, is very daring, hangs out with friends, meets new people, talks to strangers, has engaging conversations because it feeds me. She can turn up till 5 AM then crawl up in bed and not step out for the next couple of days. It’s a cycle. Introverts love their space, but every once in a while go out of their comfort zones, while extroverts are very outgoing and never really grasp the concept of staying home when there is no activity. Me? I am in the grey area.

Having said all of this, I feel like a super hero. One who possesses some sort of rare character trait. I am a people person with great social skills, and also a loner that lives in her own world. In understanding all this about myself, I figured out one thing: Being with an ambivert is like having the best of both worlds when it comes to relationships, because it never gets boring with us. If you think you’ve seen it all, there is always more to see and know. Different situations and people reveal different sides of us, so we’re far from predictable. Also, in the corporate world, we can’t be put in a box. We thrive in interactive engaging environments as much as behind a computer with minimal human interaction. We remain in our element.