Life as an INFJ

If you're a Myers-Briggs person, you will understand this post. I won't take this opportunity to explain Myers-Briggs,  I will just tell you that if you haven't taken the MB personality test, you must. It's so accurate that it's scary. Lately, I've been reverting back to my Myers-Briggs in attempt to better understand myself. We often think that we understand how we work, when in fact, we really don't. Moving to a new place, making new friends and building a new life has caused me to really think about the ways that I can best benefit myself and those around me. Here is what I think and understand about being an INFJ and hopefully this will help you understand me, too. It's just fascinating. Maybe in my next post, I will feature Mr. J who is almost the complete opposite of me -- an ESFP.

I - Introverted

• Yes, I'm introverted. I gain my energy back when I am alone, doing my own thing. This, of course, doesn't mean I am anti-social. I actually thrive in certain social situations. 
• The implications for being an introvert are: I am shy when I get in a big group, but I really thrive when I have the opportunity to chat with someone 1-on-1 or if I am in a smaller group (3-4). 
• This pesky "I" is honestly my biggest struggle when I am new places. I'm awkward in some groups. People think I am a mute. I swear, I am not ;). It takes me a while to be un-awkward until I get to know people. 
• I try to not let my "I" define me. But I am committed to watching extroverts be extroverted. Why? It helps me be more extroverted, but it doesn't make me want to be an extrovert. Catch my drift?

N - Intuition

• This is how I gather information. I understand things much better when I can relate it back to something that I already know. 
• The implications for me when it comes to intuition are: I will compare things with things. I compare people with other people. This is sometimes bad and sometimes good. 
• I actually like this about myself. However, it's not always educationally awesome. Some things require a much more concrete grasp and to be honest, I want things to be a bit more abstract. 

F - Feeler

• This is how I gather information. The F is interesting to me because it makes me see that I am not as logical as I think I am. It's really important to me that people don't get hurt. Inwardly, I would rather take the blame for something than see someone else inconvenienced. 
• The implications for being a feeler are: I have great empathy. I am able to relate to others well. The downside is, sometimes I let people take advantage of me. I don't stand up for myself because I don't want people to think less of me. 
• I can't complain too much about being an "F." Honestly, it surprises me more than anything. I often think I am more logical than I really am. 

J - Judger

• This is how I make decisions. This is where Miss Organization arises in me. I would much rather make a to-do list and cross things off of it rather than just doing things on my own time.
• This is good and bad. I've really had to make myself balance this out. I've had to distinguish between work and play and leave room for both in a healthy manner. 
• Perceivers particularly stress me out when it comes to getting things finished. This is where my husband can sometimes drive me crazy.
• I am embarrassed to admit, but I am a very strong J. I am probably the most proud of being a J because I can't stand Ps. I can't imagine NOT being a J. :) 

That's me in a Myers-Briggs nutshell! If you haven't discussed your MB with me yet, please do. It's completely fascinating. I can't wait to feature Mr. J. I have a lot to say about his MB. That's all the personality fun for now.