As someone who needs her alone time and who also enjoys going to new places to meet new people, I have experienced the joy of being both a social butterfly and a homebody.
The right answer to an age-old question
By Emi Namoro, Contributor
Truthfully, I have always believed that there are three different sides to who you are. There is your public persona that is less intimate, there’s the persona that you show to family and friends, and there’s the private side of you that only you know.
Notice how I mentioned persona for the first two but not the last? The reason why is because we tend to adapt how we act and behave towards other people, but not when we’re left alone.
So, when it comes to asking if it’s better to be a homebody or a social butterfly, I would say that it depends. Personally, I am both a stay-at-home gal and the life-of-the-party.
My public persona has always been the loud, bubbly side meanwhile the side that my family and friends know best is the more reserved one. It has always been this way for as long as I can remember. I don’t think that it is necessarily a bad thing because it’s who I am. I am sure that if you take the time to reflect on your own personas, you will find out the same thing, too!
Now, let me let you in a little secret: I don’t think that there is one way of being that’s better than the other. As someone who needs her alone time and who also enjoys going to new places to meet new people, I have experienced the joy of being both a social butterfly and a homebody.
As a social butterfly, you witness the beauty of meeting others as they are. You explore new horizons and go out farther alongside those who give you energy and bring forth those parts of you. Many find you approachable and friendly, which in turn, opens doors to many more friendships and relationships in your life that will bring adventure. It is such an exciting time to find those that help you feel comfortable being yourself. There’s no need to hide who you are.
As a homebody, you witness an entirely different perspective. Instead of going forth in different horizons, you explore inwardly within yourself. You learn that there is joy in spending time alone and finding complete peace in doing so. There is no need to worry about others because your main priority is yourself. Of course, there are people in your life that don’t drain your energy, and when you find them, you tend to keep them close. These are the people worth knowing and that invite you to explore other worlds apart from your own.
Is one better than the other? Probably not.
Why? Because we need each other. We can’t have a world full of introverts or extroverts. We need both to function properly as a society. Accepting each other’s differences is what will turn this world around. Actually, it’s gravity, but you know what I mean.
Let’s not focus on who’s better than the other, but instead, celebrate each other’s differences. After all, as the hit High School Musical once put it, “we’re all in this together.”
