1. They want an all-in-one kind of love.

They’re old souls and hopeless romantics so they’re constantly looking for a special relationship and a partner who can be their best friend, their lover, their companion — someone they can have fun with and someone they can share all their secrets with.

2. They can’t get into meaningless relationships.

They’re not good at modern dating because they get attached easily and they believe in true love. Their hearts can’t comprehend or tolerate casual flings, almost relationships or dating more than one person at the same time.

3. They’re misunderstood.

Because they’re introverts and overly emotional, they often have a hard time expressing themselves to others especially when it comes to explaining their most intricate feelings. Many times, they can be perceived as aloof, non-friendly or stand-offish but that’s really because they’re struggling to outline how they really feel.

4. They get hurt easily.

INFPs are feelers so they feel everything so deeply. It takes them a while to bounce back from criticism or rejection, they can’t just ‘get over their feelings,’ they need time to heal and even more time to open up again.

5. They’re their own worst enemies.

Their over thinking and over analytical nature can lead them to assume things and misread people, especially in the early stages of the relationship which can sabotage it before it even starts because they tend to take things personally.

6. They’re either all in or all out.

When it comes to love, they can’t do in-between, they can’t settle for mediocre or just settle for someone they’re not crazy about. Love fuels their creativity and invigorates their lives. So if it’s not the love they dream about, they will never be happy or satisfied with the relationship.

7. They’re too honest for their own good.

They’re the ones who will tell you how they feel, what they want, how they want it or how much they love you. They can’t pretend not to care or play it cool. They’re genuine people and when it comes to their feelings, they can’t lie to themselves. They’ll always choose honesty over games even if it means being single forever.

8. They carry the weight of the world on their shoulders.

They care deeply about causes, people and even strangers. They worry about their friends and family. They worry about the world. They worry about the environment and the future. They’re used to burdening themselves with more than they can handle and that frustrates a lot of people they’re with because they perceive it as ‘unnecessary drama.’

9. They may still need their ‘alone time’ a lot.

INFPs are full of contradictions, so while they’re all about sharing everything with their partner, they still need their space and their alone time frequently to recharge their batteries and deal with the hurricane of emotions running through them. They need to fall back in order to come back stronger.

10. They’re not always ‘out and about.’

They don’t go out all the time and even when they do, they’re not very approachable because of their quiet and reserved demeanor. This makes it harder for them to meet people out or give someone a fair chance to approach them.

Rania Naim is a poet and author of the new book All The Words I Should Have Said, available here.