The Essence Of An INFP

What happened?! Why aren’t they nice anymore? Where are all the cute pictures of puppies and kittens? Where are all the charming relaxed conversations? What happened to all the funny memes? Have INFPs finally shown their true colors?! Is the sky falling? It’s Armageddon! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

I don’t know how many articles have been written about INFPs. Yet despite all this, despite all the warnings, people still don’t seem to get it. Part of it I suspect, is the fact that people take the part where it states, INFPs are nice and value harmony, but ignore everything else that comes with us. So as for finally showing our “true colors” as I’ve seen a few put it. This is false, as we INFPs always show our true colors. What you are experiencing, is an INFP shifting gears.

With so much happening lately in…well most specifically North America currently, and with everything I’ve come up across. I feel it’s time I address this…again. Since people are either disappointed, freaked out, unsure, surprised, nervous, and angry. In a previous article, I mentioned that an INFP can and will get into your face the moment something they value is targeted. It matters not what their value is. What matters is that it’s been targeted, and the proverbial bee’s nest has been stirred.

Wait! I hear you call out. What about all those nice, harmonious, calming things they generally do? Aren’t INFPs supposed to be fluffy teddy bears and cute little kittens? Siiiigh. Sure, that is…until they turn into a raging grizzly bear or tiger. In which case, it may be best if you make no sudden movements, no sudden comments, and just…back away slowly… or run as fast as you possibly can to avoid the storm that’s about to come. Unless of course you’re an ENTP, in which case, enjoy the show that you’ll likely have fun putting more fuel to…you prick. For those of you who don’t get it, ENTPs like to play devil’s advocate…a lot, and usually just for the sake of it.

INFPs value being authentic, and while you may see the calming swirls of blues, greens, and other calming colors for the most of the time. You might just happen to ignore the impending oranges, reds, and other fiery type colors that just so happen to be looming in the distance. So it’s not even that they’re true colors have finally been shown, but more how they feel towards a certain subject that they may value. Almost everything an INFP does, is by their feelings and values, and we care, a lot, about things you may never even suspect, likely because you haven’t asked.

Which…is why we clasp onto things, far longer than need be. Thanks to our feelings and emotions. CURSE YOU, YOU CONFOUNDED EMOTIONS! We may end up arguing about subjects and issues, far more than almost any other type out there. What? You guys have moved on a week ago? Well good for you, would you like a cookie? Usually the first step in an INFP exploding like a volcano, is an issue they care about comes up. The second step, is that they care so much about it emotionally, that it would be like asking a Parana to let go of the hand it’s currently chewing.

As an INFP I have tried, and I mean I have tried, to change the subjects and posts back to cute little kittens and puppies, amusing videos, and the like. It usually doesn’t do much, so then when I look what everyone else is doing, and how it’s conflict. The mindset might just change to. “Oh you want some conflict?! Well here’s some conflict for you lot!” Thus setting off the bomb again. So what is to be done in such situations? What can one do to calm down a discussion, or transition into nice harmonious, and not to mention deep conversations about life the universe and everything. Not to mention dolphins and ponies, why not, lets throw those in there too.

The best solution that I can think of is to distract us. Yet this usually is seen as hard, especially when most types may be holding anywhere from a ten to twenty foot pole, while all of this chaos is going down. Also the likelihood of throwing in a shiny, at that particular moment, just may spark up a vehement debate or argument towards said thing. Personally I would think it would take another feeling type to calm down an INFP, or to be more specific, an ENFP or an ENFJ, maybe an ESFP/J.

It’s rather an odd turn of events, I know. Considering that we may usually be the more mellow ones of the ENFP or ENFJ types. What I am taking into consideration however, is the fact that they’re extroverts, this is important. Why is that so important? Well call me crazy, but ENFP and ENFJ generally will make themselves heard over the chaos. No matter how much noise is going down, one of those types will speak up and you will hear them. For an ESFP or ESFJ they may use their sensing and feeling type to gauge the situation before stepping in with a suitable resolve to end the conflict.

Another reason why I’d prefer it to be an ENFP or ENFJ, is because they’d know how to distract us. If this was outside, they may pull us away, pull out a shiny (don’t give it or throw it in, just hold it)…yes a shiny, because I know for myself that if a shiny is held out long enough, I will be distracted by it, and will want to take a closer look, because it’s so shiny…and pretty…and oooooh. The best cure I think, and this may just be the romantic in me. Is if you’re dating one of those two types, pull us into a kiss, just out of no where, and we’ll probably forget what we were debating so fiercely and just melt into said kiss. The second best thing? Do something outrageous and strange, it will divert our attention. The third best is with food, especially if we’re hangry people… that is people who get angry/moody when they’re hungry.

Now for the internet: Post a crap load of art, outrageous entertaining things, or deep questions that have absolutely nothing to do with what’s currently being argued or debated over. At some point, we will see those posts, we will calm down, and we will move to other calming and harmonious things. Thus everyone can once again return, and enjoy our “Zen” like state of being, or you know something along those lines. Such it will remain until another controversial topic we care about comes up, in which case all hell will once again break loose. But until then, enjoy our silliness, enjoy our acceptance and tolerance, and all that good stuff we generally like to do.