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[female speaker][br]I am an introvert... and I love it.

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And I'm not alone.

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Introverts are everywhere

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and our quiet approach to life,

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our need for solitary time, isn't a flaw.

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It's a gift.

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But, as an introvert, it's not always easy[br]to realize how wonderful you are.

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The world feels like a place[br]that rewards extroverts.

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Where being loud is mistaken[br]for being confident and happy.

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Where everyone has something to say,[br]but nobody listens.

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A world of "Open Plan" offices,[br]networking parties, and big personalities.

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For those who speak softly,[br]it is easy to feel left out.

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As a child, I blended[br]into the background.

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Many thought that I had little to say[br]or that I simply didn't like others,

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but that wasn't true.

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People often think introverts are[br]shy or antisocial,

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but these are misconceptions.

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Introverts, like anyone,[br]can find socializing fun.

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But, where parties leave extroverts[br]energized, after some time,

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introverts need to recharge[br]away from everyone.

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There's a scientific theory for this.

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There are two important chemicals[br]found in all our brains:

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dopamine and acetylcholine.

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Dopamine is like a hit of energy[br]when we take risks or meet new people,

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and it makes extroverts feel great.

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But introverts are more[br]sensitive to dopamine

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and get quickly overstimulated.

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That's why we prefer the more[br]slow-burn feeling we get

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when our brains release acetylcholine.

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That happens when we concentrate,[br]read, or focus our minds.

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It makes us introverts feel relaxed,[br]alert, and content,

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but it barely registers with extroverts.

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Of course, like anything,[br]it's a sliding scale.

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You can lean one way or another,[br]or be a bit of both,

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known as an ambivert.

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Now, I understand myself better.

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I am deeply grateful for how I am.

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Instead of filling up space[br]with small talk,

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I listen patiently and[br]make my words matter.

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I have few friends,[br]but our connection is deep.

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I love spending time alone.

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It's where the chaos of a long day[br]can finally settle.

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I can reflect and listen to my thoughts

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and eventually reconnect with myself.

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Only after that...[br]am I ready to share with the world again.

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I have learned strategies for[br]finding comfort in our noisy world,

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from using music to[br]creating bubbles of peace

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to escaping to a quiet park[br]at lunch time.

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I adore the intensity and[br]chaotic beauty of the world,

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but it's in quiet spaces[br]where I feel truly at home.

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If introversion were[br]more valued by society,

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it could make a massive[br]difference to our collective future.

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The unique attributes of introverts[br]really are a deep, quiet strength.

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As Gandhi put it,

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"In a gentle way,

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"you can shake the world"

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male voice[br]Thanks for watching

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Don't forget to subscribe

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