Have you been told you’re too quiet, shy or that you should come out of your shell? We live in a modern day world that greatly values the outspoken people and being an introvert in today’s society can feel very stressful. It can be hard when you feel pressure to fit in and when socializing feels like it requires extra effort. You can feel misunderstood. Some introverts even grow up feeling like they have some sort of personality deficit.

Introversion is not a personality deficit. Far from it! To the contrary, introverts are people who simply get their energy through time alone and/or being in small groups of people over shorter spans of time.

Introverts can become easily drained by being around too many people especially if without breaks. The misunderstanding lies in how this appears to others. The alone time and the preference for small groups doesn’t mean at all that introverts dislike people or hate being around them. Rather, their regular downtime alone is critical because it is how the introvert reenergizes.

Of the total number of population, introverts represent the minority (only about 25 to 40 percent of the population are introverts); however, introverts comprise 60 percent of the population having the highest IQs.

An absolute highly recommend must-read book for you if you are an introvert is “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.” For sure you will adore it and gain invaluable information about yourself through reading it.

Below are 15 signs you’re an introvert (and no, there’s nothing wrong with you).

1. You enjoy spending time alone.

In fact, you don’t just enjoy your time alone, you absolutely need time alone! You need regular periods of time all by yourself so you can recharge and reenergize.

2. You value your personal space and work hard to protect it.

You guard your personal space from others because it is your sanctuary. You hate it when others try to invade your space. You also dislike it when people overstay more than they are welcome. This doesn’t mean you don’t like people or that you don’t like sharing. It just means you need your personal space and personal time.

3. Small talk is draining for you and you often feel like a waste of time.

Small talk, during parties or dinners, really drains you. When you find yourself in a social situation wherein you have to be switched “on,” you feel pressured, drained of your energy and fatigued afterwards. Likewise, engaging in small talk doesn’t seem very important to you, not because you don’t care about other people, but because you just think it is somewhat pointless if it is not a deeper one-on-one conversation.

4. You easily get stressed out when in crowds.

You don’t particularly thrive well in crowds. Crowds can feel very overwhelming and uncomfortable for you.

5. Meeting new people can also feel stressful and draining for you.

Situations wherein you need to meet new people can often feel awkward, overwhelming, stressful and draining for you. You are usually satisfied already knowing the people you know and won’t usually let someone new in unless it’s necessary.

6. You are aware of what people are really like.

Because introverts tend to be very observant, you easily pick up on how people really are based on their words as well as their non-verbal cues. Thus, you tend to do great on assessing the character of others, noticing things that others may easily miss because they don’t pick up on the same things you do.

7. You really notice things.

Aside from being good at assessing what people are really like, you generally are also an observer, noticing A LOT of things. Rather than talking a lot, you absorb all the information available to you, thus seeing even the minutest of details.

8. You are a thinker.

Yes, you are a thinker and because of this you usually think first before you act. Introverts tend to think through their actions carefully first before acting or making a decision. Thus, introverts are usually great decision-makers. You also love to spend time simply contemplating, pondering and being alone with your thoughts. Thinking is valuable and necessary to you. It is part of who you are.

9. You value the importance of listening.

Introverts tend to be great listeners. You listen attentively when conversing with others and don’t rush to respond just for the sake of responding. As an introvert, you make sure to process carefully what you’ve heard, then only then will you respond. Conversely, you also appreciate people who truly listen to you and often find yourself frustrated by people who don’t really listen or people who habitually respond without thinking. Also, you have very little patience for people who interrupt.

10. You have loads of creative ideas.

Because the inner world of an introvert is rich and thoughtful, you are very creative. You don’t always verbalize your creative ideas, but they are with you always. Since you are able absorb information easily, you are also able to use information creatively. In your mind, you easily come up with solutions when problems arise.

11. You don’t share everything.

Before you think of sharing your thoughts with others, you take time to evaluate whether you want to do so and whether it is worth doing so. Thus, you don’t always share your ideas to other people right away or even at all.

12. You talk to yourself, a lot.

You are in constant conversation with yourself in your head and it the conversation is engrossing, too. You are stimulated and interested in your thoughts.

13. You get easily distracted.

Extroverts get bored easily while introverts get distracted easily. So many ideas pop into your creative mind.

14. You usually don’t mind when plans get cancelled.

In fact, oftentimes it feels like a relief to you if someone cancels plans.

15. You cherish having a small group of friends.

You like friendships but you’re more about keeping deep, close relationships with only a select few of people, instead of having countless casual ties. You also make a great friend because you are unyieldingly to your friends in your small circle.