Introverts make up 30-50% of the population (one large study put us at 50.7% of the US population!). And yet so many of us introverts grew up thinking everyone around us were extroverts.

World Introvert Day, January 2nd, was started in 2011 as “an opportunity for people worldwide to better understand and appreciate introverts.” You can see the official page here. And it got a big boost last year when the website Introvert Dear made some great images for the occasion.

There’s a few things you can do to celebrate World Introvert Day. One is to get the word out. Feel free to use any of the images below on your favorite social media site:

Another thing you can do is talk to your family and friends about what introversion means. There’s so many people out there who still think that introversion is the same as shy. That’s not true! Both introverts and extroverts can be shy, and both introverts and extroverts can be “people person”s. A definition I like to use is that introverts gain energy by being themselves, and use energy while interacting with others. Most of us love interacting with other people, but we prefer to socialize in moderation, and then regroup with a quiet activity.

Not sure how to describe introversion to your friends and family? You can read about my thoughts on introversion here, and my tips on speaking to family members about it here. If you’d like to know more about the science of introversion here’s an informative video by psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman.

So, what else should you do for World Introvert Day? Well, that’s entirely up to you! You should do whatever you enjoy doing. But, if you’d like a few recommendations, you can…
Read your favorite book.
Walk around your favorite park.
Go see a movie alone.
Lay on your back and watch the clouds go by.
Learn a new skill that requires solitude and concentration.
Go out for coffee with a fellow introverted friend.
Read about introversion in a book or article.

… and most importantly, you should treat yourself kindly on World Introvert Day.