For the longest time, I thought I had some defect. I was the person who watched everyone high-flying float from one conversation to another effortlessly, making small talk, laughing, and fitting in; then I’d ask: why doesn’t that come naturally to me? Why do I always feel drained after those big, social events instead of being energized?

But here’s the truth: I just found out that my wiring is different from that of others. And it is okay.

I Can Do Small Talk, Sure, but I Don’t Like it

I can do small talk; of course, knowing how to do that is the smile and nodding and ends with asking those right questions. But if I’m honest, I don’t like it. Something is so tiring about talking which really doesn’t go below the surface with regards to any contents on that conversation. I don’t want to talk about the weather or about what someone did last weekend just to have something to talk about.

What I love are the real conversations-the ones that show we talk about things that actually matter. The kind that makes one forget time and ends walking away feeling an actual connection with someone. That is what I live for.

I Never Needed a Big Social Circle

There was a time when I thought I had to become more social by saying yes to every time there was an invitation out and making sure I don’t miss out. However, I realized that forcing myself into that world was just realizing that it’s not me. I do not need to be among many people to be fulfilled. I’d rather have a handful of close friends who actually get me than a room full of people I only kind of know.

And to be honest? That has been one of the most liberating realities of my life.

Being Introverted Is Not a Flaw

I spent years believing that I needed to “fix” my quietness: that I had somehow to push myself to be louder, more outgoing, and more like those who thrive socially. But now? Not so much.

Being an introvert does not mean that I would not like some amount of connection-it just means that I value meaningful connection. It means I don’t waste my energy on people who don’t truly see me. It means I’m selective, and I choose depth over quantity. And honestly? I wouldn’t want it any other way.

The Right People Will Always Understand

At the end of the day, the loudest person in the room is not what I aim to be. I don’t need a million acquaintances. What I want are deep connections-those kinds in which I can be myself, in which silence is not awkward, and where I don’t have to try so hard.

And the best part? The right people-the ones who truly matter-will always understand that.