How did you realize you were an INFJ? (before you even took the MBTI test)

That first experience paragraph described my childhood. I was even a natural leader. I don't know how or why I changed so suddenly. Not too long afterwards I realized, people don't think like I do. I was very confused by this for several years. Of course living in a state with a total population less than the size of most metropolises really accented it.(I still haven't noticed any other INFJ's here.) My later high school years I had a lot of online friends but only a small group of offline friends. The change made me wonder if I had some sort of psychological problem such as depression, but I wasn't unhappy nor did most of the symptoms fit me other than the personality change.(In fact if I were anything it'd be slightly manic.)

I just happened to take the MBTI one time and looked up the resulting type and realized that I wasn't the only one who thought this way. It was sort of a relief.

As for type changing, I'm sure it can occur. I've seen plenty of people change. Some people here even and I've not been here that long.

 

Constant and intense gut feelings regarding situations but never feeling like I expressed it well enough to really be understood. A lot of frustration with others while growing up, especially when they sought advice from me.

 

I too used to be very outgoing, well at least compared to how I am now. I would crack jokes and behave in a very extroverted manner during parties with friends, but with everyone else I would be very quiet and unapproachable. The extroverted side that I had before was more of a facade than the 'real me'. I only acted the way I did because I wanted people to like me; that is who they knew so that is who I must be around them. But it was incredibly draining and I began to realize people didn't take me seriously because I hid the real me from them. As I got older I got more in touch with who I am and stopped pretending to be someone else. When I read the INFJ description a couple years ago I just KNEW it was me. It wasn't the first time I got tested as an INFJ but reading a through description of the type made so much sense to me, like someone was describing me when I didn't quite understand myself. But I did not know I was an INFJ before getting tested since I did not have any understanding of the MBTI types prior to taking tests. I just knew there were certain things about me that was different from other people and taking the test sort of confirmed some of my feelings.

 

Woa, like a couple others in this thread, i underwent the change as well. in elementary school, i was more of a leader and really out-there and outgoing. in middle and high school, i did an 180-degree turn almost and am slowly working my way back ...because my elementary school self made me the most happy, i realized. i know i underwent my change because, going to a totally new school and all, i wanted to please people and fit in too much. and, lo and behold, i developed depression partly because of that.

*****for the others who "changed" throughout the years, do you know why you did so ?*****


back on topic: well, i've always felt a bit separate from everyone else, even though i was part of the action [socializing and whatnot] most of the times. i also am an "old soul" of sorts, i suppose.

 

I think you find a similar experience with all inuitives.

For years I felt like an alien from another planet. Then I realized I was an alien from another planet but in the best possible way.

Now I am OK.

 

I think this is a curious tendency of INFJs and introverted intuitives in general. That they cant really explain what they think or feel.

Is this a habit of your introverted inutition or what? I am curious because I rarely encounter this problem.


Explain yourselves! Ironically!

 

I never realized I was INFJ. I always assumed the worst about myself in the past and never really considered that I might have a unique personality, just a disfunctional one.

 

I first realized I was a bit different around age 13. I was always in my head thinking the biggest thoughts I could. I spent a lot of time looking at the stars and wanted to be an astronomer. I constantly debated the question of God in my mind, and was curious about various topics inspired by math or scifi. I have also been driven to understand people. I wanted to know the raw truth about them no matter how frightening, disappointing or wonderful that might be. My options for friends were usually engrossed in social games that did not make much sense to me. I've always wrestled with intense isolation.

I found my peace in nature. From 13 on I always had a spot alone outside that belonged to me and allowed me to "be". In the quiet and seclusion, the world became beautiful in a way that words can only cheapen, and I became part of it. The boundary between my self, with all its loneliness and uncertainty, melted away into the complete beauty and meaning that surrounded me.

The first time I took an MBTI test was twenty years ago when I was a teenager and I came out INFX. Through college I usually tested INFJ. My J is pretty soft though. I'm not forceful, certain, or acting strongly upon the world, but probably have stronger Ni than Fi.

 

yes i did
thats why i googled personality for a bit of fun really
not expecting to find this

 

sry i

say

 

well, i knew i was different than everyone else, but i didn't know how or why...

until i was 20 and an instructor gave us, the class, the keirsey test... cause he said you should know who your working next to...

he read everyone's description out to them, either by Artisans, Protectors, Realistist (?), and Counselors... of course, there was only one other Counselor type in the class but he (intentionally) held my description for last...

... he stated that of all the classes he's taught, i am the first INFJ to go through his class... whcih is why he held my description for last...

i thought he was joking until he started reading it off to the class...

... and a chill ran down my spine and for an instance, i shelled myself to contemplate for a minute... and i felt he had watched my every footstep growing up and he was reading my life to the class...


... then i thought it was the coolest thing anyone has ever done...

... yea, i remember the day i found out i was an INFJ...

... and then i figured out why i am just so friggin' different than everyone else...

 

I thought I was different from everyone else because I hide, literally, from people if I don't know them. My best friend introduced me to a friend of hers, and I couldn't help but cling to her arm and hide behind her.. It's very childish, but I don't deal with social situations like everyone else.. I find them extremely uncomfortable.

Also, I like to always help everyone else with their problems, and I can tell when people are upset, but I never talk about my problems to anyone else because I think that they're not worth talking about. Furthermore, I don't really talk much even with my friends, and i'll pretty much take anything if i'm just accepted, because I have a zero self confidence and I think that if I stand up for myself people might dislike me..

That's when my best friend told me she had a suspicion I was an INF- type, but wasn't sure if I was P or J. Then I took the test ^^"

(sorry for the long-winded explaination.)

 

I've always felt different, but I didn't really consider to label myself, except as special. I was way too grown up as a child in some ways.

 

that's hilariously adorable (even if you didn't mean to come off that way)