I will admit that to date I have never taken the Myers- Briggs personality test. Never even gave it a serious thought. But after reading this article, I feel that I don't even have to. It was a list of 40+ things that INFJ personalities wish others knew about them. And I agreed with Every.Single.One. of them.
The text of the Tweet that got my attention was simply this:
"I'm like an iceberg. What I say out loud is the tip. The mass lurking below the surface represents the crazy thoughts and feelings swimming in my head. They're always there. This results in me generally looking calm, although I rarely feel that way."
I read the article with the rest of the INFJ traits and found myself nodding in agreement with every statement. And for the rest of the week, I have felt so much more at peace.
I am not posting this to get into the inner workings of my own mind - at least not today. I am posting this to let others know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. I discovered this week that the INFJ personality type (notwithstanding any limitations of the classification criteria) is considered to be the *rarest* in the world - and therefore the most misunderstood - but even so, there are thousands upon thousands of others who think and feel the way I do. This is useful for anyone who is trying to build mental resilience and learn how to cope with the inevitable stresses that life will throw at them. Knowing that your reactions to specific events are not unique can help you to take a step back and say "This is not easy for me, but it is not impossible. Others like me have handled it and so can I."
To know where you fit, to feel understood, and to know where you belong - this is a basic human need. Finding your tribe is a crucial part of living a satisfying life. For some of us who struggle to feel accepted, even learning that we actually *have* a tribe somewhere can be a huge step.
You will be found.
** Please note that images, music and other materials referenced here are not my own. I wish to give credit where credit is due. Please contact me through the comments section of this blog if I have not properly acknowledged your creative/intellectual materials . **
