INFP Bubble

Originally Posted by Anna B

Before an INFP can make a difference in the world before them, they must first learn how to get themselves out of their own inner reality. If you haven’t already, take yourself out of your own shoes for a while and step into someone else’s... Reality is far from our world as an INFP when you choose to stay within your realm of idealism.



As an INFP, I too, have a tendency to filter the world through my ethical value system. With a strong ethical value system, INFPs are susceptible to make the common mistake of not making the distinction between intent and behaviour. INFPs can’t look at behaviour objectively because they evaluate the behaviour as what INFPs BELIEVE SHOULD BE the correct behaviour which stems from a strong bias and ignorance, if you really think about it. Since you don’t know the other person’s background or what caused them to do behave in “such” a way.

Here’s the thing, INFPs must understand that behind every action, there is a positive intent. People are not out there to hurt one another but, instead, use the best behaviour they have available in those moments. Only by developing your objective understanding and awareness will you be able to be congruent with your behaviour AND intent.

YES! YES! This is exactly what a lot of INFP's need to learn! I was fortunate in meeting someone in my early to mid 20's who helped me to learn to view people objectively. This in turn has enabled me to be able to help people even more because I'm not projecting my belief's onto them, but rather I can see them clearly in their own situation and then all of my wonderful INFP qualities come shining through when I can offer the knowledge they need, rather than my idealized version of what they need.

As for giving free advice, yes, people will undervalue it if you just go around handing it out. I used to do that. However, I learned to keep my advice and opinions to myself until I make a connection to someone (it doesn't have to be deep) and then if they are truly looking for help then I will offer my advice, but as suggestions, not as something they need to do. People like making their own decisions and are more open to suggestions.

This quality, objectively seeing other people, is ESSENTIAL for INFP's to develop.

Hi,
I'm actually the author of this article. I wrote it two or three years ago when I was on the gradual climb out of a bout of depression. The title, INFP Bubble was meant to lead off into a story where I told about how I like to be in my own little world, my own little INFP Bubble where everything is about love and feelings and fairies and rainbows, but when I went to write it i guess I went off in a different direction. 2 or 3 years later i still feel the same way and it's been heartwarming and interesting hearing other INFPs talk about what they thought about the article and how they relate to it.

INFPs are called the defenders of the realm, the pure white warriors. i don't feel like a defender of the realm. i'm harmless. i'm certainly not a fighter because as an INFP i don't like violence.

Beware the Nice Ones.

As an INFP, I follow what your saying. But I actually took up a self defence (Krav Maga) in the interest of being able to defend myself or someone else. I prefer not to resort to violence, but I would if the need arised.

INFP thing: I almost cried.


:3

It has nice feel good moments, but it's too self pitying. I'm more soon to change myself rather than change the world.

being an INFP is like being a physician with all the knowledge and desire to cure your patients only to realize that the patient doesn't want to be cured. the patient doesn't even realize that they are sick and that they need help. it's very painful to watch someone suffer from something that you know doesn't have to be. we are very spiritual in a world where real spirituality is looked at as an oddity. we are intellectual in a world where knowledge for knowledge's sake goes against the pragmatic majority. we are soft-spoken and shy in a world where the ideal is to be outgoing and aggressive. we have a clear sense of what is ethical and feel compassion deeply for those that suffer in a world where people seem to be so self-centered, directionless, and shallow. being so special is a hard and lonely existence.

Accurate, accurate, accurate.

thank you for writing a very good article.

Some very salient points here. For me the sensation of being an INFP is as though I sit inside my head like there's some little mini-me looking through my eyes and observing the world. Sometimes if I let it, this feeling can grow into a sense of almost dislocation with my surrounds. I also struggle each day to listen to people rather than interpret what they say. For me, I am always trying to divine the meaning behind even the most mundane of conversations with people. Drives my wife utterly insane :) There is no mystery in, "can you turn the kitchen light off?" is there?
Is there?.....