11 Things that Only Make Sense to an INFJ
The INFJ archetype makes up approximately 1-3% of the population. This rarity has often lead many INFJs to have experienced this same feeling of being “different” from their peers. However, being an INFJ does offer some incredible blessings as well - including a heightened capacity for self-reflection and awareness of one’s own feelings.
INFJs also have some rather unique experiences not shared by other personality types and so they’ll be many things in life that’ll make sense only to them. So let’s explore 10 Things Only an INFJ Will Understand.
1. Instantly Feeling the Energy in a Room
An INFJ's ability to feel the energy in a room is unlike anything else. It's as if they can tune into an invisible frequency in order to get a true understanding of any given space. Feeling this connection is both empowering and daunting; it takes an immense amount of emotional energy in order to remain cognizant of one's surroundings and it can mean feeling overly sensitive to the emotions of those around them.
For those who are an INFJ, they understand the need to protect their hearts while also allowing themselves to open up enough to be aware; this is the ultimate push-and-pull that only those familiar with being an INFJ can truly comprehend.
2. Feeling Alone, Even When Surrounded by Others
INFJs often feel a deep sense of loneliness in the world, even when surrounded by others. This isn’t because they don’t want to connect with those around them, but rather because of the immense complexity of their internal worlds.
This type has a unique ability to comprehend and experience emotions in a deeply profound way, something which can lead to feeling disconnected from everyone else on Earth. They simply have an understanding of something that others cannot comprehend or relate to, leaving INFJs alone despite being within a crowd of friendly faces.
There is a longing within this isolate loneliness that INFJs can never quite shake; it's as if they are forever searching for someone or something who may understand the depths of their soul – but unable to ever truly find it.
3. Struggle to Quiet the Mind at Night
For an INFJ, the mind can be a place of refuge— a safe haven for exploring the depths of their imagination. But when it falls dark and their thoughts become tangles of unknown possibilities and sorrows, that same mind can become a prison.
With every new thought rampaging on like fire in winter, it can be difficult to find peace and reprieve from the ceaseless stream of consciousness. This struggle is something only INFJs can fully understand; where others might find respite in silence and serenity, they find only more dreams and deeper anguish that only intensifies with each passing tick.
Yet despite this difficulty they often experience at night, their unique minds offer them a world of imaginative beauty that none who do not share the same capacities can truly appreciate.
4. Adept at Morphing Into What People Need
INFJs have a unique ability to identify the needs of those around them and provide comfort in times of need. They are sensitive to energies and can often activate parts of themselves that match the people or situation they’re in.
Through individual interests and experiences, INFJs are able to find ways to transition into new roles with ease. This supersensory perception is one of their many gifts, allowing them to pivot into any given setting without ever appearing like an outsider.
It is a particular INFJ specialty to be chameleon-like in what they can offer - whether it be lending a shoulder for people to cry on or morphing into being someone's cheerleader; INFJs have a capability to always provide what is essentially asked for.
5. Keeping Quiet Despite Wanting to Speak Up
INFJs can be painfully aware of how far away their dream world is from the realities they face. As a result, they often feel an immense pressure to stay quiet, either because it's easier than speaking up and not achieving the desired outcome or because they feel like their voice won't make a difference.
While INFJs long for expression and a sense of belonging, this longing for change often leaves them feeling drained and lacking the confidence to make their voices heard. Despite this being incredibly frustrating and emotionally hard, INFJs courageously continue to seek the right moment in which to share their thoughts and feelings.
6. Constantly Feeling Like an Outcast
INFJs often feel like outliers amongst the rest of society. This sense of separateness may be a combination of different things, but it largely has to do with their deeply held values and beliefs. INFJs feel incredibly more passionate about justice and progress, which can cause friction in more traditional settings.
Moreover, INFJs think and process differently than others, so they can often struggle to communicate their ideas accurately. This mental disconnect with their peers often contributes even further to the loneliness experienced by INFJs as outcasts.
Even if they meet like-minded individuals, the need for acceptance from the larger group remains strong, leaving INFJs with a sense of longing for connection that usually remains ever present.
7. Feeling Guilty for Saying No
INFJs often feel guilty when they have to decline an offer or turn down a request. They place great importance on relationships and can forget that it is just as important to set boundaries in these relationships.
Being the type of person who believes in the power of compromise, INFJs naturally hate confrontation, so can feel guilty for potentially creating one by saying no. Unfortunately, this guilt can be self-destructive - often leading INFJs to overwork and over commit themselves as they try to make up for this 'loss' by saying yes far more than is necessary.
8. Replaying Conversations in Their Head
INFJs are often plagued by "what if's" and an obsessive need to ensure that conversations have been interpreted properly. This means they frequently replay conversations in their head after they have taken place, revisiting the details of what was said and how it was said.
INFJs have a strong sense of intuition, so they don't only pay attention to the words each person spoke but also the underlying tone or body language. They may even ruminate on how things could have gone differently or find ways in which they could have handled the conversation better. INFJs do this kind of deep analysis because at the end of the day, all they really want is meaningful understanding between themselves and those around them.
9. Skilled at Masking Their Emotions
INFJs possess a deep capacity for feelings, so it can seem counterintuitive that they are also skilled at masking those emotions. It's an exhaustion-inducing skill to have, learned from experience of being easily misunderstood or discounted by others.
INFJs know that if they express their emotional reaction too deeply, there may be repercussions. So, rather than risk the emotional vulnerability of showing their true feelings, INFJs often cut off access to them and quickly put up a protective wall of indifference or aloofness.
This is especially true in situations in which they anticipate another person not wanting to hear what they have to say--expecting judgment and lack of understanding rather than empathy and connection. In these moments, INFJs can withdraw and silently retreat as a coping mechanism while still longing for somebody they can truly trust with their innermost thoughts and feelings.
10. Continually Searching for Meaning and Purpose
INFJs, who are traditionally hard-wired to seek out meaning and purpose in their lives, often find themselves struggling if they do not have an end goal or a purpose to strive towards. For them, having something meaningful to work towards is more than just a way to pass the time; it helps keep the inner fire burning and keeps them feeling alive.
This deepening of their inner core can help guide them as they make decisions. Without this deeper understanding of life’s purpose, INFJs may find themselves drifting away with no direction or clear focus. Finding personal meaning and purpose can be challenging at times, but for INFJs it can make all the difference in forging a fulfilling life.
11. Having a Special Connection With Music
Most INFJs tend to have a special connection to music due perhaps to their non-conforming, introspective nature. INFJs seek enlightenment in solitude and often find that music speaks truths they can’t quite articulate themselves.
Music can therefore be an outlet for the fullness of emotion that INFJs possess, different tunes calming or stimulating different moods while always creating nostalgic memories of days gone by.
To INFJs, music is both memory and solace, a source of understanding and creative inspiration. It comforts them in times of grief and allows them to drift away into a realm that is one part reality, one part fantasy - precisely what INFJs crave.
Conclusion
There are some things in life that’ll only make sense to an INFJ. Things that they can't explain to others, no matter how hard they try. It's not that INFJs are trying to be difficult or secretive, they’re just some things that can only be understood through experience. Did you relate to anything on this list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.