my.portrait.by.myers.briggs.

this is so healing. and hilarious, at the same time. to read about my personality type and realize that some of the struggles and weaknesses and ridiculous-sounding ideas i have are not just insanity...well, some of them may be...but that some of them are explainable in light of the way my mind and heart have been made to work. also it's reassuring that there's some other people in the world who share these tendencies in common with me. it's funny but so appropriate that i would have to read about it to find out that other people like this exist, because many of my type are so reserved about what they really feel, or some have learned to function in more socially acceptable ways...even when we would rather be hermits sometimes...so anyway...

i'm an INFP. also called an 'Idealist Healer'.

Healers present a calm and serene face to the world, and can seem shy, even distant around others. But inside they're anything but serene, having a capacity for personal caring rarely found in the other types. Healers care deeply about the inner life of a few special persons, or about a favorite cause in the world at large. And their great passion is to heal the conflicts that trouble individuals, or that divide groups, and thus to bring wholeness, or health, to themselves, their loved ones, and their community. Their deep commitment to the positive and the good is almost boundless and selfless, inspiring them to make extraordinary sacrifices for someone or something they believe in. Set off from the rest of humanity by their privacy and scarcity (around one percent of the population), Healers can feel even more isolated in the purity of their idealism.

INFPs are focused on making the world a better place for people. Their primary goal is to find out their meaning in life. What is their purpose? How can they best serve humanity in their lives?

INFPs are highly intuitive about people. They rely heavily on their intuitions to guide them, and use their discoveries to constantly search for value in life. They are on a continuous mission to find the truth and meaning underlying things. Every encounter and every piece of knowledge gained gets sifted through the INFP's value system, and is evaluated to see if it has any potential to help the INFP define or refine their own path in life. The goal at the end of the path is always the same - the INFP is driven to help people and make the world a better place.

INFPs do not like conflict, and go to great lengths to avoid it. If they must face it, they will always approach it from the perspective of their feelings. In conflict situations, INFPs place little importance on who is right and who is wrong. They focus on the way that the conflict makes them feel, and indeed don't really care whether or not they're right. They don't want to feel badly. This trait sometimes makes them appear irrational and illogical in conflict situations. On the other hand, INFPs make very good mediators, and are typically good at solving other people's conflicts, because they intuitively understand people's perspectives and feelings, and genuinely want to help them.

INFPs are flexible and laid-back, until one of their values is violated. In the face of their value system being threatened, INFPs can become aggressive defenders, fighting passionately for their cause.

INFPs are usually talented writers. They may be awkard and uncomfortable with expressing themselves verbally, but have a wonderful ability to define and express what they're feeling on paper.

INFPs never seem to lose their sense of wonder. One might say they see life through rose-colored glasses. INFPs have the ability to see good in almost anyone or anything. Even for the most unlovable the INFP is wont to have pity. Of course, not all of life is rosy, and INFPs are not exempt from the same disappointments and frustrations common to humanity. Many INFPs struggle with the issue of their own ethical perfection. Frequently they hear a call to go forth into the world and help others, a call they seem ready to answer, even if they must sacrifice their own comfort.

The INFP needs to work on balancing their high ideals with the requirements of every day living. Without resolving this conflict, they will never be happy with themselves, and they may become confused and paralyzed about what to do with their lives.

[this insight-filled mish-mash of descriptions compiled from:
here, there, this, and that]

i.have.so.much.to.live.up.to.