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[female speaker]
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
to realize how wonderful you are.

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The world feels like a place
that rewards extroverts.

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Where being loud is mistaken
for being confident and happy.

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Where everyone has something to say,
but nobody listens.

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

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

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As a child, I blended 
in to the background.

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Many thought that I had little to say
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
shy or antisocial,

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but these are misconceptions.

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Introverts, like anyone,
can find socializing fun.

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But, where parties leave extroverts
energized, after some time,

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introverts need to recharge
away from everyone.

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There's a scientific theory for this.

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There are two important chemicals
found in all our brains:

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dopamine and acetylcholine.

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Dopamine is like a hit of energy
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
sensitive to dopamine

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and get quickly overstimulated.

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

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when our brains release acetylcholine.

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

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It makes us introverts feel relaxed,
alert, and content,

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but it barely registers with extroverts.

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

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You can lean one way or another,
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
with small talk,

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I listen patiently and
make my words matter.

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I have few friends,
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
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...
am I ready to share with the world again.

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

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from using music to 
create bubbles of peace

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to escaping to a quiet park
at lunch time.

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I adore the intensity and
chaotic beauty of the world,

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

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If introversion were
more valued by society,

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it could make a massive
difference to our collective future.

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

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As Gandhi put it,
"In a gentle way, you can shake the world."

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[Male speaker]
Thanks for watching.

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