Hey guys this is the first time I have posted on this site in years (around 2 I believe). Anyway I've gone through a lot of soul searching and changing and I felt that it was in my best interest that I avoid spending so much time on this site. People were telling me that I wasn't the same person I used to be and I believe I was identifying myself as an INFP and not as the person I really am. A very difficult trial is partly what sparked this and while I feel like a different person now, I do still believe I'm an INFP, just not so INFPish anymore (if you know what I mean). I mostly been trying to be more extraverted, logical, and self-motivating. Can any of you identify with me on this?

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absolutely. i think any external system attempting to explain personality is bound to be both oversimplified and eventually become self limiting... because in an important sense our personality is being continually created... the sense of self is like a narrative that we construct out of our beliefs and behaviors... and if we put ourselves in a box like an MBTI type, and proceed to take it too seriously, we will consciously and willfully limit our actions to conform to our view of ourselves, missing out of aspects of life that we may enjoy because they don't seem to match up with our imposed self image. i also think that identifying too closely with a type can lead us to rationalize away some of our flaws (ex i am introverted, i don't need to practice talking to strangers, or i am a p i don't need to learn to be more organized). those things can have negative impacts on our lives in the long run. its kind of like adopting an ideology... it blinds you to things that aren't part of the approved script... and thats never good.

like you, i definitely thing there is still something very infp-ish about me, but i don't view it as being as central to my life as i did when i first discovered it. i think in the excitement of discovery some of the more discordant aspects of the description are ignored, and the more deeply one looks into the MBTI the more they start to come out. so interest and "goodness of fit" of type seem to decrease over time. which is, i think, as it should be. MBTI is a tool, not an answer.

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Isn't it pretty to think so?

Been a long time Rocknrolldude ;-)

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You don't know what you have until it's gone...

Hey rocknrolldude.

I also agree with TehBelle--it's best to try to develop so that we're not complete stereotypes of our type. Or I guess it could go the other way and one could absolutely specialise in their type so they become the premium example of that type. But that does seem a bit limiting.

Welcome back.

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What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet. - Gerard Manley Hopkins

Hey there, I remember you from a while ago. I too haven't been here in ages. ^^

Hey Syni.

Hey everyone thanks for welcoming me back! I'm glad to see some people I know are still on here. I was worried that I might get on here and not recognize anyone. That sort of thing was typical on the old site. Anyways, I hope everyone is doing great!

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