Those who know me best know I'm not always quiet. But I often am. Especially in a crowd.

And even more especially with a group of strangers I'm supposed to suddenly connect with on some deep level.

Then I'm definitely the quiet one.

There are a lot of reasons why---some I'm aware of and some I'm not able to see clearly just yet. I know underlying most of them is the trust factor.

I strongly value trust and trustworthiness. So situations where I'm supposed to open up to people I don't yet trust---forced sharing, if you will---make me largely uncomfortable.

I was in a situation like that a few days ago. People all around me were sharing freely, and I just kept thinking, "I'm not built that way." I didn't say very much, and while I was okay with my reservedness, I found myself wondering what it made the others think.

I fear that my quietness makes people assume things about me which are not only unintended but also inaccurate. I'm afraid I might come across as arrogant, stuffy, or annoyed.

(Feeling misunderstood is one of the worst things for me.)

So I'd love your honest input:

What assumptions do you make about the quiet person in a group?