I have been on this earth for twenty-eight years, and I am still learning more about myself all the time.
For instance, after going down a rabbit hole on Instagram the other day, I found myself taking a personality test which would identify my position on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. And while I had heard of the Myers-Briggs test before, I never paid much attention to it until now. Granted, I am always leery of the results of online tests, and even the people behind said test stated it had only a certain level of accuracy to it. But when my results came in, and the links to articles about my personality type followed, a lot of things suddenly–and undeniably–clicked.
It turns out that I am an INFJ.
What this means is I have an Introverted, iNtuitive, Feeling, and Judging personality. Basically, the long and short of it is that I am a walking contradiction: by nature, I am an introvert–but I also have a strong desire to connect with people. I can be very empathetic–which causes me to become cynical and closed off to people and emotions altogether once I’ve become overwhelmed by them. And depending on my mood, the situation, or the people I’m with, I could be quiet, private, and disengaged–or I could be loud, prone to oversharing, and extremely friendly and open.
And because of our introverted, yet feeling personalities, a lot of INFJs tend to be–you guessed it–writers.
Knowing this about myself has recently helped me reflect on my writing. One old poem in particular leapt to mind upon learning INFJs crave connection even in the midst of their introversion (namely the lines: “the loner who gets lonely / The reclusive social butterfly”). But this fact has also made me remember certain aspects of why I write. Connection, of course, is first and foremost. I know I’ve said as much before in other posts; it’s that feeling of longing, of wanting to reach out to others who might feel just as lost and confused as I sometimes do, that drives me to write.
But now that I’ve finally figured out who I’m writing for, I have also come to realize who I am writing about.
I truly hope that someday soon I will be sharing my novel in progress with you. Without knowing it, I think I’ve been writing about INFJs all along. It is clear to me now, as I look back at the first scene in particular. But now that I’m a little bit more in the know than I was before, I think a spark has been rekindled within me, and a love for my story has been renewed.
And now, I hope, my final revisions will reflect that.
— C.M.
Night Owls, what are your personality types? Any other INFJs out there?
