Love me the INFJ/P way.

I have always been curious about myself. To me, having to understand oneself enough is a step closer to reaching higher heights in life. Many times, i misunderstood myself. Not knowing what exactly makes me the person i am and why.

Till i did the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

It completely changed my life. Really, really.

If you think that it's another one of those lamey personality tests like you see in Facebook or those astrology tests which they will predict your characteristics in general and tell you whom you should spend the rest of your life with and live happily ever after (no such thing), you are indeed wrong.

It is a psychologically based test created by a daugther and mother team; Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother Katharine Cook Briggs; and using a very well known psychatrist's (Carl Gustav Jung) psychological findings about people's behaviour, they came up with this Type Indicator to help people identify their strengths and personality preferences. 

Some people have to think aloud so as to reach a decision. Some prefer to reflect their thoughts in solitude so as to reach a decision. Some people can see the big picture easily and enjoy exploring countless possiblities for an idea. Some look into details of an objective and are more realistic towards reaching their goal. Some see it as half-filled, some says half-empty.

So we are all different in deciding, feeling, understanding, planning our lives. And MBTI helps you to find out what, why and how you have been living your life thus far.

As for me, I am an INFJ/P.

I am introverted, iNtuitive, Feeling and sometimes rely on being Judging or Perceiving. It doesn't mean that my personality is being boxed up within these 4 letters. It is just like us having two hands but some of us prefer using our right hand for most things and some preferring the left. And so, it's the same with our personalities.

Here's what being an INFJ is:

Says David Keirsey:

"Counselors have an exceptionally strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others, and find great personal fulfillment interacting with people, nurturing their personal development, guiding them to realize their human potential. Although they are happy working at jobs (such as writing) that require solitude and close attention, Counselors do quite well with individuals or groups of people, provided that the personal interactions are not superficial, and that they find some quiet, private time every now and then to recharge their batteries. Counselors are both kind and positive in their handling of others; they are great listeners and seem naturally interested in helping people with their personal problems. Not usually visible leaders, Counselors prefer to work intensely with those close to them, especially on a one-to-one basis, quietly exerting their influence behind the scenes.

Counselors are scarce, little more than one percent of the population, and can be hard to get to know, since they tend not to share their innermost thoughts or their powerful emotional reactions except with their loved ones. They are highly private people, with an unusually rich, complicated inner life. Friends or colleagues who have known them for years may find sides emerging which come as a surprise. Not that Counselors are flighty or scattered; they value their integrity a great deal, but they have mysterious, intricately woven personalities which sometimes puzzle even them. 


Blessed with vivid imaginations, Counselors are often seen as the most poetical of all the types, and in fact they use a lot of poetic imagery in their everyday language. Their great talent for language-both written and spoken-is usually directed toward communicating with people in a personalized way. Counselors are highly intuitive and can recognize another's emotions or intentions - good or evil - even before that person is aware of them. Counselors themselves can seldom tell how they came to read others' feelings so keenly. This extreme sensitivity to others could very well be the basis of the Counselor's remarkable ability to experience a whole array of psychic phenomena."



Says PersonalityPage:


"INFJs are gentle, caring, complex and highly intuitive individuals. Artistic and creative, they live in a world of hidden meanings and possibilities. Only one percent of the population has an INFJ Personality Type, making it the most rare of all the types.

INFJs place great importance on havings things orderly and systematic in their outer world. They put a lot of energy into identifying the best system for getting things done, and constantly define and re-define the priorities in their lives. On the other hand, INFJs operate within themselves on an intuitive basis which is entirely spontaneous. They know things intuitively, without being able to pinpoint why, and without detailed knowledge of the subject at hand. They are usually right, and they usually know it. Consequently, INFJs put a tremendous amount of faith into their instincts and intuitions. This is something of a conflict between the inner and outer worlds, and may result in the INFJ not being as organized as other Judging types tend to be. Or we may see some signs of disarray in an otherwise orderly tendency, such as a consistently messy desk."


And here's what being an INF(P) is:

Says Sandra Krebs Hirsch and Jean Kummerow:

" INFPs focus deeply on their values, and they devote their lives to pursuing the ideal. They often draw people together around a common purpose and work to find a place for each person within the group. They are creative, and they seek new ideas and possibilities. They quietly push for what is important to them, and they rarely give up. While they have a gentleness about them and a delightful sense of humor, they may be somewhat difficult to get to know and may be overlooked by others. They are at their best making their world more in line with their internal vision of perfection."

Says David Keirsey:

"INFPs present a calm, pleasant face to the world and are seen as reticent and even shy. Although they demonstrate a cool reserve toward others, inside they are anything but distant. They have a capacity for caring which is not always found in other types. They care deeply-indeed, passionately-about a few special persons or a cause.

One word that captures this type is idealistic. At times, this characteristic leaves them feeling isolated, especially since INFPs are found in only 1 percent of the general population. INFPs have a profound sense of honor derived from internal values. The INFP is the Prince or Princess of mythology, the King's Champion, Defender of the Faith, and guardian of the castle. Sir Galahad and Joan of Arc are male and female prototypes of an INFP. To understand INFPs their cause must be understood, for they are willing to make unusual sacrifices for someone or something believed in."


So. I am a mixture of both. Actually INFJs are very much like INFPs, the only difference i think is that while INFJs would prefer to work within deadlines, have things planned out, INFPs are more flexible, preferring to keep their options open.

My J/P preference borders on 50-50% so sometimes i do want to work on a proper planned schedule (esp at work) and other times, i have no qualms doing things spontaneously.

Suits me perfectly, eh. *winks*

I am so super duper grateful that i did the test, really. (Kudos to Fabo for introducing it to me) Because now i know i am not a misfit, i am actually normal even though i like doing things differently from most people. :) Like how i enjoy being with people I adore but i enjoy solitude alot too. Like how i understand people's problems easily and can counsel promptly but yet i have a very complex character and deep thoughts that i scare myself. Haha. And like how i look very much like an outgoing hardcore clubber, but the only places you will ever see me being hardcore at is the library, the museums and my bedroom. *I haven't even been to the ION yet!*

But of course, each of us are undeniably unique, no matter our preferences. Who can match God's creativity anyway? :)

Those who are close to me have been seriously persuaded by me to do the test and it has helped them in their relationships, in their workplaces and in themselves. Try it, if you have yet to. You won't regret it, trust me. :D

And if you turn out to be a local INFJ or INFP, LET ME KNOW!!! I have been looking around for a fellow singaporean INFJ/P for eons. (There's so little of us!!)

So far, I get along really fabulously well with NFers. I mean, i get along well with others too, but with NFers, there's this... innate understanding between us that it's so intangible, we connect totally instantly. This is really true, cross my heart. If you talk about chemistry, i can totally find it in another NFer. The kind of crappy jokes only we understand, our imagination going wild together and our conversation going on for hours. And hours...........

*yawn*

Oookie, i would need to go to sleep the INFP way and go home to my fantasy land of fairies, pootsies and samurai princesses.

Nites Humans!

Bliss.

I just found out something - I could be a closet neat freak after all.

I have spent the entire day today cleaning every corner of my room, tidying up my bills and re-organising bits of my personal stuff and you know what?

I actually feel really really good. I kinda like this feeling, haha.

I am already neat, by the way. Just that at times, I think i can get kinda anal and relish on getting everything sorted out even more neatly. It gives me this lofty floaty feeling when i accomplish these boring chores.

I feel complete. I don't very much think that you need to worry about me being an OCD patient but i like to de-clutter often. Get rid of some disposable baggage in my life. Filter out the unwanted clingy stuff. And what remains, is good, wholesome and light.

I'll be able to begin life again with more to expect. More room for new experiences, new challenges.

Sounds like bliss to me. :)

Flurry of excitement.

Gee.  My first post.

I have always wanted a blog which i can nonsensitate about anything and everything in the world AND feel downright good about it.

Haha. I am definitely excited. I hope this blog will finally get me out of my professional procrastinator mood and hone my barely-there writing skills. I always have loads and loads to write about. Always.

The only problem is, when it comes down to finally putting it down in words and not just thoughts, my brain goes into freeze mode and then, *kaput* - nothingness. I will forget what i wanna pen down, what i was so enthusiastically thinking about, when my train of thoughts were in super bullet speed mode and when i thought i had already stored it all in my brain's hard drive, i realised i had forgotten to press 'save'.

This happens to me ALL THE TIME. When i finally have the moment to write, I then will find the lack of words, the lagging emotions behind those thoughts which seemed so far far far rr rrr rrr away now and... i give up writing. blogging. putting them into simple ABCs.

SO yes. I am spurring myself again, re-starting my inner engine. I want to write. I need to write to stay sane.

I must W.R.I.T.E.