[codebolt]

Co-signing this advice. I was basically in the same shoes as the OP, being the quiet office weirdo for my first few years, usually getting very tense in meetings and so on. These days I'm effortlessly starting discussions, speaking my mind openly in meetings, etc, and have never had it better professionally or socially, at work or otherwise. I won't try to distill my personal transformation into a step-by-step recipe for others to repeat, but at least know that with persistent effort, change is possible.

[Namrog84]

Also there are 2 sets of definitions I believe of introvert and extrovert. The traditional and the clinical one. I am not sure those are the right labels for the 2 interpretations.

And I think me and the 2 I've replying to all agree with the latter one. Which is independent of shyness or outgoingness. It's purely a mental recharge thing really. Do you feel like you need to be alone after a long time of being with other people.

This is different from the traditional view which is correlated with shyness vs outgoing charismatic view.

Also no one is ever just 1 or the other. But can be all of the above at various points at varying and ever changing degree.