I realized a while ago that I haven’t shared a whole lot on this introvert blog about who I am and what I’m all about. There are some things I think you should know if we’re going to be Internet friends, so we might as well get straight to it:
The real reason I started this blog
The reason I started this blog a little over a year ago is because my copywriting instructor told me it was a good idea to start a blog in a specific niche in order to build my platform.
One of the ideas I had was to create a website that explained the Arab Spring and conflicts in the Middle East in a simple way. The other topic I came up with was introversion.
I had recently had a horrible, burst-into-tears-in-front-of-strangers experience related to my introversion (you can read about it here), so I knew it was an important topic.
In the end, I kind of married the two ideas. I chose the name “Introvert Spring” because I wanted to help start an introvert revolution. I also liked the fact that “spring” is a word that represents a fresh start– something many introverts desperately need.
Around the world and back again: why I never stay in one place
In the past two years, I’ve traveled to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and the U.S.A. Places I’ve called home include: Brisbane, Mexico City, and various cities in Canada.
A lot of people ask me why I didn’t start a travel blog. The reason is that it would be the most boring blog ever!
As an introvert, I find hopping from place to place and doing lots of touristy things exhausting. Instead, I have a nomadic lifestyle where I stay in one place for a few months and then move on. This allows me plenty of time to do my introverted activities, while also getting some adventures in.
Behind the curtains of my personal life
Because I’ve traveled so much, and used to be a competitive salsa dancer, I know a lot of people from around the world. But the truth is, there are only a few people I consider real friends. I have two besties that I talk to on Skype on a regular basis, and a few others I touch base with on Facebook.
Bailalo Latino salsa group, Brisbane, Australia (I’m the one in white).
Never before revealed secrets of my love life
(Do you like my tabloid-style headlines? I had to find some way to keep you interested in my little innie life story.)
I don’t have a boyfriend at the moment, but I’m pretty much always just leaving or just beginning a relationship (where is the middle, nobody knows). I go on a lot of dates with many truly exceptional men, but choose not to stick around unless I feel like it’s real, BIG, let’s-spend-the-rest-of-our-lives together love (which hasn’t happened yet, so I’m a free bird!).
Now here is the big secret that I’ve never revealed on the blog, or to a lot of the people I’ve met:
I used to be married!
That’s right, I was a good little wifey for about 2 ½ years. To make a long story really short: I was 20, very religious and itching to escape the life I knew. He was wonderful, treated me like gold, and taught me a lot of life lessons – one of which was that there is a big beautiful world out there and you don’t have to tie yourself down for the sake of security and comfort.
The divorce was unusually amicable. We haven’t spoken since, but I wish him sunshine and roses until the end of time.
Things I love
- I love to dance because it challenges me and makes me feel alive
- I love to travel because it lets me see the world from many perspectives
- I love zombie movies because they’re just the right mix of scary + apocalyptic
- I love being healthy and fit because it makes me feel happy and energized
- I love the few people who really get me and allow me to just be me
- I love my little innie community because you give me a sense of purpose and connection
Things I hate
- I hate closed-mindedness and pessimism
- I hate conformity and cookie cutter living
- I hate coming home to an unmade bed
- I hate being underestimated
Well, I’d say that’s more than enough about Michaela Chung for today. I’d love to hear more about you.
What do you love? What gives you a sense of purpose? Do you have any secret passions other introverts might share?
Xo,
So, things about me…
Age: Fifteen years old. But usually, people thinks I’m seventeen years old or even eighteen.
Appearance: Eyes bloodshot, surrounded by dark circles, but compensated with curly long hair (and I’m a men) and a tall thin figure. The kind of boy you would see coming out of a detox center! Ha ha!
Music: Genesis (both eras), The Beatles, Radiohead, Queen and Iron Maiden. I also listen to Jazz, Blues or even Classical Music.
Fashion killers: long hair, a belt, the music I listen, staying at home at weekends.
Favourite activities: playing a bass guitar, listening to music, reading, or just sit still while thinking. I even write a diary.
Friends: Five, two of them TRUE friends.
Persons that considers me a friend: 2578299021582905285904324⁸. I don’t know whether that’s good or bad.
Great Blog! Keep it up!
Hey, I really enjoyed reading about you! Thank you so much for giving me a glimpse into your innie life. 🙂
One of the reasons why I love reading this blog is that it’s so refreshing to see some new ideas on what life can be like as an introvert. You may have just convinced me to try a (beginner) dance class 🙂
What gives me a sense of purpose, as an introvert? I suppose there are lots of things, but one of them is “pushing the envelope”. I like to think several years into the future, try to see where things are going and see what role I can play in it, however small. That’s part of the reason why I am here. I think that the introversion movement is quickly approaching critical mass, to the point where it will be a trait that people will want to put on their resume, just like everybody wants to be a “team player” now. Imagine, a world where extroverts want to learn from us how to act more introverted? 🙂
I was married too, for about 3 years, and the divorce was also very amicable. I think that it’s possible for two people to get to a point in a relationship where they still care deeply for each other, and realize what would make each other the most happy is to be apart. That was my experience at least. It was an introvert/extrovert marriage, which of course also carried its own unique set of challenges.
“Imagine a world where extroverts want to learn from us how to act more introverted” – love it! I’m glad that my unorthodox lifestyle can serve as inspiration for you. And good to hear that you also had a very amicable divorce. I like to think that some people are temporary teachers who only belong in one chapter of the story of our lives.
Thnak you for sharing ♥
You’re welcome, love. 🙂
I enjoy reading your blog & comments from fellow Innies. I had not heard of Introverts until I read “The Introvert Advantage” by Marti Olsen Laney about 10 years ago. I had a light bulb moment while reading that book. Now I have an unquenchable thirst to learn more & share my knowledge with others if the opportunity should arise. I use to feel like I was on the outside looking in, but knowing what I know now, has put everything in perspective. Knowledge is power & if I can educate one person about the misconceptions regarding introverts, I’m very enthusiastic to do so. ;D
Great to have you as part of the community, love. 🙂 And I’m happy to hear that you’re helping to educate others about introversion. Xo
A very good article! My spouse and I are both introverts (thank goodness!). I’m a moderate, and she’s a major capital “I” introvert. Do you think there are proportionally more introverts in Canada than other countries… particularly those you’ve lived in? Great blog! I’m glad you chose introversion and not Arab Spring to write about (although Arab Spring is probably equally as important just not as interesting to me personally).
Hi Murray! Thanks for your comment. I feel like Canada and the U.S. are pretty similar when it comes to how many introverts there are. I found all the Latin American countries I visited very extroverted. Even the introverts I met there behaved much more extroverted than in Canada because of social pressure (I’m guessing).
I love reading things like this, it gives some motivation to open up. While it can be fun to describe myself to people, because sometimes they don’t expect me to like what I like, I need motivation sometimes. You don’t always know when people will care, anyway, this is me.
Age: 18, College Freshman, Yay!
Appearance: Tan but naturally, (It’s the tri-racialness), light but not bright brown eyes, long brown curly hair that may or may not be put up (if you’ve ever heard of Troy Polamalu, the football player, that’s the comparison I get a lot). I’m a little big, but not as big as I probably think I am, I have a stomach and that creates some self consciousness.
Interests: Sports, especially football, basketball, soccer, and hockey. I want to coach one (or both) of the first two at the division one college level. I love to write and sing, and play video games. Meaningful conversations are also very high on the list.
Music: Taylor Swift (that’s the part that gets people), Lifehouse, Owl City, Alex G, Eminem, Tupac, The Fray, it goes on…
I’m not really sure how many true friends I have, my definition of friend isn’t the same as other people, it requires a far stronger commitment. If I truly find call someone my friend, and mean it as opposed to just using it casually, then that means I will die for you. John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Anyway, thank you so much for this entire site, I’m beyond happy that I found it.
Thanks for the glimpse into your innie life, Nicholas! I enjoyed reading it. xo 😉
Thank you for so much relateable blog, Michaela!
I’m a deeply analytical, rational introvert (INTJ) with relentless perfectionism, drive to keep learning and gaining new skills (in various areas – I’ve a psychological education, but now getting a second one – in IT) and pursue success in pretty much any area I enter. I pride myself in being composed, hardworking and clearly focused in most situations, and I find it draining to deal with people with uncontrolled emotionality, anger issues, ever-changing minds and what feels to me as weak willpower (one of the reasons I sometimes prefer working/playing video games/etc with men over women). On the outside: I’m a determined, but quite, mild person who’s usually nice and occassionally complies to some social standarts in order to keep peace (hopeflly not too much!)
At the same time, my biggest secret is… (and the few who know it, didn’t believe right away): I possess emotions of enormous power. Being highly-sensitive allows me to see, feel, hear and smell layers upon layers of semitones: I could write several pages about all nuances of what I feel about a small musical piece or from just looking at a photo. Upon finding a song to love, I envision hundreds or images and stories that my mind draws for me. The other peoples’ emotions are a wonder, true insight when quietly shared, but a crushing storm of icy needles when too loud or critical. I love this gift in myself, same way as it’s awesome to have a strongly logical, ambitious brain, but I wsh extraverts didn’t mistake aforementioned qualities for being uncaring, aloof, slow to respond, self-centered, “unwomanly”, and, you know, plainly “odd” 🙂
Dear, dear innies,
I have always been called a daydreamer. Teachers corrected me, peers bullied me, but close friends respected me.
I loved the way I could loose myself in idealized worlds: in lego or play as a child, in music, philosophy, writing and spiritual mind wandering as an adult.
I love forests. If something was wrong with me as a child, taking me to a forest would instantly heal me.
It was hard to fight the misconceptions about me, making me less confident.
It still is sometimes.
I can and like to connect deeply, but had to learn which people do not like to be exposed in their naked soul :).
Regardless of continuous struggle to have faith in myself I seem to attract people and mostly they like me and open up – introverted and extroverted people alike. Some have said I am quiet, but when I speak it is very meaningful and some extroverted people who used to underestemated me have reconsidered and sometimes even ask advice.
That is not to say I am wise, but growing and learning created awareness and that attracts and opens people somehow.
Love:
Nature
Music
Writing
Openness
People sharing their most inner troubles and passions
Philosophy
Spirituality
Kindness
Deep connection
Modesty
Psychology
Travel
Children
Animals
Michaela and all you peeps 🙂
Hate:
Chit chat unless fully charged
Control freaks
Conspiring people
Arrogance
Selfishness
My thoughts when obsessed
War and conflict
Bullying
Stereotyping
A day without coffee
Writing down (typing) something brilliant then forgetting to save 🙂
Brussel sprouts with nutmeg
Och zo lekker, spruitjes met nootmuskaat!!! 😉