Isn't it fundamentally impossible to learn to become more extrovert?
I mean, if you have to think about how to react to people, then that's sort of the definition of being an introvert.
I mean, if you have to think about how to react to people, then that's sort of the definition of being an introvert.
No. Can an extrovert become more introverted? Of course.
It may not feel "right" but it's fundamentally possible. The brain (more precisely, the stories we tell ourselves) are malleable. Age, location, friends, lovers, jobs, all weigh on which type of -vert you are. That's been my experience anyway.
Although I do think it's a slope with introverted at the bottom. I.e. it may be easier for an extrovert to become introverted than the opposite.
I think dealing with diverse people is the same. When I have a better understanding and "frameworks" to interpret what's going on, I feel a great more certain and confident, and this makes difficult interactions easy. This means I can do more "extroverted" activities and genuinely enjoy them - with less uncertainty/anxiety attached. I still go home to fully recharge - I'm not sure if it's possible to change that, but I can drastically change how long that battery lasts.
But that's a pretty miserable attitude to approach it with. It's much better to keep an open mind to the possibilities of life - although its the hope that kills you. I mean - if you have to think about such things, it's most accurate to say that that's the definition of having been an introvert.
Anecdotally, inside every introvert is a squeaking, flamboyant self, desiring to be its opposite. If you desire it, you've got to (kind of) already be essentially interwoven with it.
I don't believe that anymore. I believe that the type of "-vert" our society categorizes us in is an environmentally created behavior. Most of which stem from our birth, how we're treated and the expectations the people who raise us (parents, relatives, friends, school teachers) subconsciously place on us.
In general, behavioral therapy[1] does not aim to "fix" a trait, it tries to make interaction with "normal" people easier.
[1] I include "help yourself" books and those used as such here.
1) how accurately are you pretending to be an extrovert (chances are youre broadly failing if its unnatural)
2) how much energy are you spending pretending to be an extrovert (chances are a lot if its unnatural)
The internals are more important than "do i finally sound like an extrovert? introverts are such losers!"