INFJ joy (or: "No Apologies")

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It’s Wednesday, which some abominable person decided to dub “hump day.” For some unfathomable reason, this phrase caught on. This expression horrifies me to my core, and makes me throw up a little bit in my mouth.

Well then. Carry on.

I am an INFJ. Again, if you do not know what that means, go here and take the test. I’m just going to go ahead and get it out there: I love being a J. And when I am perfectly honest… honestly honest… there’s a tiny part of me that is convinced that J’s are superior to P’s. Sorry. I just know that we get more done. We have the follow-through that P’s lack. We are reliable and responsible. Which obviously equates to “better.” :)

My favorite people are ENFP’s. I don’t know why, because ENFP’s drive me nuts – but I can’t help but be drawn toward them like a moth to the flame. I admire a lot of things about ENFP’s: their spontaneity, their ability to develop an instant rapport with whoever they come into contact with, their enthusiasm and optimism and exuberance – generally, their passion for life. All things that I struggle at. But could an ENFP create a food system like the one I have created? I think not.

I work at a church, and therefore, I pinch my pennies. Life is hand-to-mouth… literally. I usually have just enough money to get me from paycheck to paycheck. But one huge perk to the job is the free food. Tons of free food. So much free food that there is no way that I could eat it all before it goes bad. Church people love to eat, man. I take home left-over chicken, left-over soup, left-over muffins, left-over lunch meat, left-over cheese… One night, I trudged up the 3 flights of stairs to my apartment lugging a HUGE GARBAGE BAG of grapes. And if you are picturing me Santa-style, with the enormous sack slung over my shoulder, then oh yes, you’ve got the picture.

I hate letting things go to waste – it makes me feel like a lousy excuse of a human. So the J in me has figured out exactly what I can and cannot freeze (basically… you can freeze anything – even cheese!), and I have created all sorts of uses for every ingredient that I bring home. I am innovative and creative, and draw from all sorts of recipes to create new recipes using the food that I have in my freezer. Every single night, I stand in front of my freezer and carefully choose just enough for what I will eat the next day. I love being organized!

I make no apologies for being a J. It’s just easier to color-code your closet… and your sock drawer… and your washcloths. I am not ashamed of the fact that I rejoiced over the purchase of a new shoe organizer rack. I make my to-do list on my monthly magnetic notepad (yes, I have one for each month), and then number it, and then execute it in order, and then destroy it. I label my freezer bags, file my bank statements, and flip my mattress every 6 months.

And in case you were wondering, yes, it’s so awesome to be so awesome.

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8 Comments

  1. The Gilchrists on April 11, 2007 at 6:03 PM

    I’M AN INFJ TOO! I knew there was a reason I liked you. The only difference is that I am a youngest child INFJ…which colors things a little differently. Speaking of birth order, where do you rank yourself? Because you’re the oldest girl, second born, upper middle…?

  2. My name is Annie. on April 11, 2007 at 6:46 PM

    I am the stereotypical oldest child. Jeremy might technically be the oldest, but he’s so laid back he’s practically horizontal. I saw a role that needed to be filled, and so the Type A in me JUMPED on it. :)

    I could have guessed you are an INFJ, Julianne! Did you know that it’s the rarest of the personality types? Only 2% of the world! Or… something!

  3. The Gilchrists on April 11, 2007 at 9:23 PM

    And did you know that it’s what most people in ministry are? (wait–it might be that most people in ministry are NF’s…)

  4. Susan Parsons on April 12, 2007 at 11:58 AM

    I’m thinking those last couple of paragraphs give you away as more of an IOCD. Get it? But, you do inspire me to color-code MY washcloths some day. (Coming from an ST – which makes me not fit for ministry I’m told. thanks,Julianne)

  5. Miranda on April 20, 2007 at 4:28 PM

    Babe! Being an ENFJ, I can say that I love being the ying to your yang. It is awesome being this awesome.

  6. Mary on April 25, 2007 at 3:37 PM

    you’re right Annie, us ENFPs could NEVER develop such an elaborate food system. Except, then again, with all this GLORIOUS spontaneity within me, why would i WANT to?? ;)

  7. Tiffany on September 12, 2007 at 10:28 PM

    So I was an INFJ as student body president and found that to be the only way to survive 3 -4 years ago. Today I am and ESFJ what do ya know? I wonder how many times that will change over our lives. Perhaps as you enter into other stages of your life the “awesomeness” of the INFJ lifestyle will begin to wear too much on you or others. In the meantime, how’s life on the road for the planner?

  8. Regifter on July 2, 2008 at 12:29 AM

    To the previous commenter: personality types are inborn so they don’t change. We are all born with a set of preferences, which we may or may not clearly recognize depending on our circumstances (which is why it appears to change), but we do develop all of the other functions during each phase of life (assuming we are mentally/emotionally healthy).

    I’m an INFJ married to ENFP (what a ride) and in ministry, too :) As well as an MBTI consultant.

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