Life is messy. I think about this often during the alone time that I require as an unashamed introvert. I inherited much from my mother — the perfectionism, the messy office, the introversion. My dad and sister are exactly the opposite when it comes to being around people. They thrive in a crowd. Mom and I shrink to the sidelines, burying ourselves in our work.

I find that it’s not the people I dislike. It’s the need to act as though the interaction isn’t exhausting me. The need to pretend, though I may be entirely engrossed in the activity, that I wouldn’t prefer being home in the safety of my condo.

Introverts are perfectly capable of carrying relationships, friendships, what have you. But we are very selective. We — or at least I — prefer a more intimate party. You, me, my cats. Or your cats. (I don’t mind who provides the cats.)

Introversion is a tendency — not a preference, not a rule. I enjoy the limelight just as much as the next girl, but man do I need a proper break afterwards. The main difference between introverts and extroverts, in my experience? After a party, extroverts are ready for more (of what, I haven’t the slightest idea) and introverts are ready for a nap.

Perhaps that’s why I like the rain. It adds another layer of complexity to the air — yet another thing providing me with the bubble to which I so desperately cling.

I took a Myers-Briggs test today. I’ve always known myself to be an introvert, but I couldn’t be sure which acronym applied to me. Turns out I’m a mediator — an INFP-T.

First off, how cute is that little green person? “No one can stop you from dreaming!” Thanks, green person. I agree. You make me smile.

INFP-T stands for Introversion-Intuition-Feeling-Perceiving-Turbulent. I was fascinated by just how accurate this description is, right down to the fact that I’m learning multiple languages. If you’re curious about what’s going on in my head, click here to read all about it. Johnny Depp is one of my peers. Maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to him?

“Mediators are led by the purity of their intent, not rewards and punishments. People who share the Mediator personality type are proud of this quality, and rightly so…”

Yeah, cool. Give me a reason to be big-headed.

My husband, on the other hand, is a Commander, an ENTJ-T. Apparently that means he’s 60% extraversion (though I think that other 40% shines through quite a bit… perhaps when he’s with me, the 79% introvert?) ENTJ-T is Extraversion-Intuition-Thinking-Judging-Turbulent. Steve Jobs was one of these, and knowing Sohrab, this makes a lot of sense to me. We had a good chuckle over that once he got his results.

To put this into a Downton Abbey perspective (as I am known to do), Sohrab is Mary and I am Sybil. As much as I love Mary and understand Mary, I am most assuredly Sybil. Our differences do not keep us apart — they inspire us to learn more about the other and open our eyes to the ways others think. We each have our strengths and weaknesses, but when we work together, we’re an incredible team.

“It is up to each person to recognize his or her true preferences.”

I didn’t need a Myers-Briggs test to tell me this about myself or my husband, or about our relationship. But it explains so much and, honestly, it calms me.

Do you know what your Myers-Briggs Personality Type is?