INFP

Realizing you are an INFP can be very exciting in the beginning. There are so many positive characteristics, like being creative. Always coming up with new ideas and ways to handle a problem or complex situation. The ability to have empathy towards others. Sometimes understanding exactly how someone else feels because INFP’s can imagine themselves in other people’s shoes. These are all great qualities. Nonetheless, there are the ones that are not so great. A few negatives are being overly idealistic, in a realistic world. Not able to articulate the profound thoughts in your head in an eloquent way. INFPs are also more attuned to their feelings and like to be alone. They can be seen as “quiet” or reserved. These are a few negative qualities which are not too bad. Some of the negative aspects can be good and are positive in moderation. I only say this because I have these qualities and understand the beauties and pains of an INFP.

From my own experience of the world view and how they “the world” or people not like me see me, they say I am reserved. I still do not appreciate this when people describe me as reserved. However, I understand sometimes it is better to be “reserved” because 1. Not everyone cares and 2. No one needs to know every single detail that’s going on in your life. However from a world view they say I don’t share enough. I am “secretive” and do not “say much.” Well what they do not know is that sometimes there’s a lot going on in the minds of INFPs. We may not say much but we have a lot of thoughts. Sometimes we are peicing together the other persons emotions and if they would genuinely want to hear what we have to say. If someone doesn’t really want to know what we genuinely think then we won’t share it. Now I’m not sure if I can speak for all INFPs, however I know there are a few who can relate. Sometimes we don’t want to speak because we actually want to have a deep conversation. We don’t like to use our energy for small talk. We love to engage in bigger ways through new ideas and about matters of the heart. I’m not sure about all INFPs, however small talk is draining. I do not find meaning in it. It’s like a waste of time. Sometimes people need to tell it like it is and stop playing around. Sometimes it is good to get to the truth and have a real conversation with someone. Like okay I know that is very hard to do. It’s hard for me to do as well. However, I know it’s worth having those conversations.

So yes, to be an INFP can be frustrating. Sometimes we can see people are lying and since they are lying and not getting to the truth, we know we gotta drop the conversation. It’s not going anywhere and we don’t like that. We want it to go somewhere. [INFs sometimes talk in meteaphors, so here goes a metaphor] Talking to someone who’s lying and not truthful about what they are sayin is like being in a muddy swamp. Slowly trying to get across not really going anywhere. It doesn’t feel good either. Yes, we are considerate enough to know when the other person doesn’t want to hear it (talk about hard truths) and we drop the conversation. Could the others be considerate and let us know like “hey, okay you are very spot on but I can not continue this conversation at the moment. I’m not in a good head space but hopefully later down the road we can have this real truthful conversation” This would be great, it lets us know we are not crazy and that it’s acknowledged we were on the right track. Anyways it’s just a little frustrating being an INFP and I thought I’d share a few of my thoughts. Thank you.