On Being A Quiet Person- Pros and Cons

Hello, dear readers!
If you know me, you know I can be described by almost everyone as "quiet". Even though I can talk too loud when I'm excited, and you can hardly get me to stop talking when I'm on a roll, I still don't speak up very often and my voice is nearly always too soft. Now, I don't exactly dislike being a quiet person. It does have its perks and it's not the worst thing ever. But it still comes with it's drawbacks, and there are times I wish I were anything but 'the quiet one'. Today I'm talking about both sides of being a quiet person.

The pros:
1. You hear a lot when you're not talking. I've learned so much about people just by listening to conversations instead of partaking in them. You can tell certain things about what some people say and don't say, you can pick up on a lot of subtext and context, and overall it's just interesting to study the way people say things in certain situations. I know that might come off as sounding a bit weird and creepy. I promise I'm not judging you when I'm listening to you talk to someone else. I just like listening more than I like talking.

2. People don't question it when I don't enter in conversations. In fact, unless it's directly initiated with me, I'm rarely expected to partake in a conversation. This is mostly useful when I either have no interest in what's being discussed or I simply can't focus and would rather zone out and delve into my own thoughts than talk to people.

3. I have to know you really well in order to speak my mind or talk to you at length. You always know when I'm comfortable around you when I go on for five to ten minutes about my latest story or characters. It normally either has to be very important or very late at night for me to speak up in a group of more than three people, so you always know what I have to say is worth listening to. And that helps because when I finally speak up, people sometimes listen.

The cons:
1. Being "the quiet one" is a label that sometimes feels restrictive and permanent. Sometimes I wish I could open my mouth and jump right into a conversation without second-guessing myself. I often wish I could be as expressive verbally as I am when I'm writing. Especially when I'm trying to convey something important to me and I can't seem to express it correctly, or I keep stuttering.

2. I get talked over and ignored a lot. Even though people occasionally do listen to me, as I mentioned above, there is still a multitude of times when I start to say something and people just don't seem to hear. Like I said, my voice is still very soft most of the time, and it's difficult for me to speak up, especially if I'm entering into a conversation for the first time or if it's in a very loud environment. Being talked over is actually one of my biggest frustrations, especially when it happens with my family or my close friends-- like they should know better, even though it's not their fault.

I know several of my friends who read this blog can relate to what I'm saying-- and I know a lot more people who don't. I hope this was insightful and informative, and I hope it helps you understand "quiet people" and what it really means to be one. And most importantly, I hope you have a good week!
-Kaytie