Discovering that I was an introvert (INFJ) and an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) was game changing for me.
It seemed to explain so much and now I can understand the way I am without beating myself up for it. I can try and express myself and my needs in a clearer way and start to see some of the things I used to perceive as weaknesses as strengths.
If you’d like to find out about your own personality type and traits you can take these tests:
http://www.16personalities.com/
http://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test/
I could talk about this all day long and would love to know your results if you feel like sharing!
And for any introverts (or introvert lovers!) I would wholly recommend ‘Quiet’ by Susan Cain.
Know and understand yourself as best you can. Know how you’re likely to react to things, what you’re likely to prefer and why. Design things in your life to best suit your needs and temperament.
Embrace what makes you different. Turn your traits and quirks into strengths. Find kinship with those similar to you and enjoy the different perspectives of those that aren’t.
But never limit yourself. None of us fit neatly into any one box. Allow yourself to be a bit of everything. Allow yourself to change and grow. You don’t have to be the ‘quiet one’ or the ‘outgoing one’, the ‘funny one’ or anything else. Learn to embrace the contradictions and all sides of who you are.
Try not to wish you were different. You are you for a reason and it would be criminal not to use the gifts that you’ve been given.
We can find so much understanding and connection within our types, but we’re all still unique within that.
There is only one of you. So be the most you that you can be. Learn to love all the parts of who you are.
You are beautifully you. Don’t try to be anything else.
With love,
Kelly x