Although countless Myers Briggs tests have named me an Extrovert, friendships are something I struggle with – I can be pleasant with many people and have a wide circle of acquaintances, but taking the relationship to the next friendship level is where things fall apart. Apart from a couple of years in junior high, (which would have been unsurvivable without a close group of girlfriends), I never had that tight-knit group of friends.
Part of it was my friendship style – I had one or two close female friends, but I stayed far away from groups of women – too much drama! Too much competition! I was always more comfortable with men (despite having next to no interest in professional sports, I still get along well with men today, and most of my closest “work friends” are men). Until I hit adulthood, and I realized I needed girlfriends, and I found my tribe – on the internet. I’m telling my friendship story today on Ivy League Insecurities, a great blog run by writer (and former lawyer and college classmate) Aidan Donnelley Rowley. Please go read it, and tell me your friendship stories. Have you found your tribe?
This is a great post. I struggle with a lot of what you are talking about too. In fact I often refer to myself as an introverted extrovert. XOGREG