She might be sitting near the back of the room, near the edges. Not all the way back, because that would increase the likelihood of being called upon. She appears indifferent to her surroundings, possibly indulged in a new book or theory (or most likely having a long-winded argument against herself).
Her calm demeanor and simple attire draws no attention to herself and others would easily pass her by. In modern lingo, she perfects the art of ‘winging it’, through caffeine boosts, last-minute inspiration, and under desperate measures: dumb luck.
Are you an Introvert? Do you ever have those moments where you start to feel overwhelmed by everything and everyone? For me personally, when someone comes in demanding my attention and energy -- especially while I’m barely surviving by a thread -- it can make me pretty upset. After having to repeatedly stand up for yourself and reinforce your boundaries, it’s not surprising that anger and resentment might build up over time.
Decades ago, I discovered Myers Briggs and personality (psychological) type. It helped me identify my strengths, weaknesses and motivations as an INTJ. I became empowered as I went from “thinking to knowing” my natural preferences within the four cognitive functions. That was powerful for me both personally and professionally as I realized I was “wired for success” on my chosen path. I stood taller, talked more confidently, made better eye contact, had a firmer hand shake … all amazing to me. All from a simple personality test.
Are you grieving? That sounds like a simple question, right? This month marked the 10-year anniversary of my father's death, so I asked myself the following questions, "Are you still grieving?" and "Have you moved past this traumatic event yet?" Without hesitation, my first answer was, "Yes! Of course. It's been so long."
Back then, I didn’t realize how complicated grief could be.
If you find yourself here on Truity reading articles and dipping your toes into the wonderful world of personality theory, chances are you have at least a cursory understanding of the Myers-Briggs® personality model. I sometimes find myself reading social situations and attempting to understand others through the tenets of personality theory. I doubt I’m alone in this activity!
Are you a narcissist? Unsurprisingly, not many people want to ask themselves this question. As a personality trait, narcissism gets a bad rap. The victim's experience is the primary focus and we tend to view the trait in extremes, such as when someone meets the diagnostic criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
INFJs are sensitive, creative people with a passion for helping others and expressing their ideas. They may seem quiet and reserved on the outside, but on the inside, these complex folks are a bubbling cauldron of insights, energy and enthusiasm. But there’s one thing that can stop an INFJ from expressing their creativity and that’s stress. Stress can stop creativity in its tracks, leaving the sensitive INFJ to feel like they’ve failed, they’ve lost their talent or maybe they never really had any creativity in the first place.
If you’re an INFP, chances are you want a flexible life. A life of autonomy and authenticity, where you’re free to pursue your ideals in creative ways.
As a fellow INFP, to me this sounds wonderful. After finishing college, while living in a new city with no attachments, I expected to live this ideal life. My schedule was wide open and the possibilities seemed endless.
There are several languages for understanding ourselves which have evolved over time and which carry their own converts and skeptics. What follows is a translation of salient overlaps between two of those languages: astrology and the personality system created by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers. My aim is to show similarities between these two approaches to personality.
Hands up if you read this title and immediately answered, "ESTP!" I know I did. These types are renowned for being high-adrenaline risk takers who live life in the fast lane. If there is a type that's the most likely to zoom down the face of an active volcano on a plank of reinforced plywood, it's surely the ESTP.
THE FINE PRINT: Myers-Briggs® and MBTI® are registered trademarks of the MBTI Trust, Inc., which has no affiliation with this site. Truity offers a free personality test based on Myers and Briggs' types, but does not offer the official MBTI® assessment. For more information on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator® assessment, please go here.