On Finding Myself in the Otrovert: The Gift of Not Belonging
I am an Introvert. Crowds drain me, small talk is tedious, and quiet reflection and one-on-one connection are my preference. Yet, even so, I tend to thrive in specific social roles. I have stood in front of a room as a supervisor, performed on stage, spoken publicly, and acted as a public spokesperson—and during those moments, I felt fully alive, alert, energetic, and connected. As a supervisor, I enjoyed guiding and helping others. I felt a sense of satisfaction as a performer on stage. I was energized by the chance to represent my organization as a spokesperson. But when the crowd dispersed, the meeting closed, or the applause faded— I retreated, grateful to return to solitude. In his 2025 book , The Gift of Not Belonging , psychiatrist Rami Kaminski introduces the term otrovert—derived from otro, meaning "other" in Spanish—to describe a distinct personality orientation that is not fully captured by the familiar introvert-extrovert spectrum. The term otrovert— someone who...