#infj

I took a Myers-Briggs personality test maybe a year ago or more. Then I took one a few months ago. Both times I got categorized as an INFJ, which is apparently the rarest personality type—at least it’s diagnosed the least among people who take the test.

Upon reading my personality type description, I felt this profound sense of being understood and tremendous awe that there are more people like me out there. I didn’t feel as alone as I did before.

Finally.

It’s apparently an INFJ trait to want to deep dive into every single thing on the internet about this personality once we discover it because “we” feel so misunderstood. We’re contradictions.

I’m a contradiction, and I know it.

I’m not scared of people, but I don’t talk much. In a large gathering, I almost disappear. No one notices me. But I can give a speech to a crowded room no problem and appear to be as extroverted as they come. At book signings, I usually don’t sit down, but stand in front of my table the whole time so I can get close to people and talk. I hug. I giggle. I adore it.

And yet, I’m an introvert. Big time.

I love people, but I need to be alone to recharge. I’m happy in my head, writing, reading, creating. I’m great company for myself. I don’t need to be with anyone else to have a great day.

But I do like close friends and strong ties, and I absolutely love to listen.

I’m friendly, but I’m hard to get to know. There are some things at my core that I keep hidden from everyone, although if you pay attention to my writing, you’ll know everything.

This personality type has been called a chameleon. I can be whatever you want me to be. I can disappear.

I’m not all that proficient with small talk, but I do love to hear you talk about what you care about. And I’m always wanting to talk about deeper and deeper things. I like close connections and real meaning.

I’m really slow to judge. I like to see all sides, and I can empathize with everyone. I like digging down into the meanings under the leaves—poking into the worms I find under rocks. I’m fascinated by what makes a villain a villain. And I always want to know more about how people get the way they are. I can often “see” why something happened to them in the past to make them this way.

Bottom line: Having a deeper understanding of how I tick tickled me pink—because I love to know how and why things tick.

What’s your personality type? Are you as obsessed with this as I am?