Allowing Your ISFP Strengths to Flourish

1.Highly creative, artistic and spiritual, they can produce wonderful works of art, music and literature. ISFPs are natural artists. They will find great satisfaction if they encourage and develop their artistic abilities. That doesn't mean that an ISFP has to be a famous writer or painter in order to be content. Simply the act of "creating" will be a fulfilling source of renewal and refreshment to the ISFP. An ISFP should allow himself or herself some artistic outlet, because it will add enrichment and positive energy to their life.

2.They're more spiritually aware than most people, and are more in touch with their soul than others. Most ISFPs have strong Faith. Those that don't may feel as if they're missing something important. An ISFP should nourish their faith.

3.ISFPs have an extremely well-developed ability to appreciate aesthetic qualities. They're usually very aware of their environment, and can easily see what works well and what doesn't from an aesthetic perspective. If they allow this strength to flourish, they're likely to be stylish dressers who live in a home that's aesthetically pleasing.

4.ISFPs have passionate and intense feelings.

5.ISFPs are very quick-witted and spatial in their thinking. If they have the desire, they can be very good at individual sports like golf, skiing, biking, etc., because they're extremely observant and have quick reactions.

6.They're usually good listeners who genuinely want to hear about someone's problems, and genuinely want to help them. This makes them outstanding counsellors, and good friends. An ISFP may find great satisfaction from volunteering as a counselor.

7.They accept and value people as individuals, and are strongly egalitarian. They believe that an individual has the right to be themself, without having their attitudes and perspectives brought under scrutiny. Accordingly, they have a great deal of tolerance and acceptance dealing with people who might encounter negative judgment from society in general. They can see something positive in everyone. They believe in individuals. If they give themselves the opportunity, an ISFP can become a much-needed source of self-esteem and confidence for people who cannot find it on their own. In this way, they can nurture a "sick soul" back to health.

8.Practical and detail-oriented, ISFPs are great at handling the details of a project.

9.ISFPs live for the current day, and have an ability to enjoy the present moment without stressing out about the future or the past.

10.They have a good ability to concentrate and focus. Accordingly, they can do well in school if they set their mind to it.

ISFPs who have developed their Extraverted Sensing to the extent that they can perceive the world about them objectively and quickly will find that they enjoy these very special gifts:

*Their strongly passionate nature combined with their natural sense of aesthetic beauty may make them gifted artists (such as Picasso, or Barbra Streisand, both reportedly ISFPs).

*Their awareness of what's going on around them combined with their great capacity to love will make them outstanding parents and caregivers.

*They will quickly identify the opportunities of a situation, and quickly act to take advantage of them. They will find that they're able to do anything that they put their mind to, although they may not find it personally satisfying. Things may seem to come easily to these ISFPs. Although they're able to conquer many different kinds of tasks and situations, these ISFPs will be happiest doing something that seems truly important to them. Although they may find that they can achieve the "mainstream" type of success with relative ease, they are not likely to find happiness along that path, unless they have especially rich and rewarding personal relationships.

*The ISFP who augments their strong, internal value system (Introverted Feeling) with a well-developed ability to recognize opportunities (Extraverted Sensing) can be a powerful force for social change.

What does Success mean to an ISFP?

ISFPs are creative, sensitive souls with a great capacity for love. They seek harmony, validation, and affection in their relationships with others. They value creativity and spirituality. Very sensitive and easily hurt by rejection and harshness, they are sometimes drawn to turn their love towards creatures who will love them back unconditionally, such as animals and small chlidren. They believe heartily in unconditional love, and in an individual's right to be themself without being judged harshly for who they are. Of all of the types, the ISFP is most likely to believe that "Love is the answer." For the ISFP, personal success depends upon the condition of their closest relationships, their aesthetic environment and the development of their artistic creativity, their spiritual development, and how much they feel valued and accepted for their individual contributions.

Living Happily in our World as an ISFP

1.Take care to notice what people look like in different social situations. Look at their hair, their skin, their makeup (or lack thereof), their clothes, the condition of their clothes, their shoes, their facial expressions. Don't compare others to your own appearance, or pass judgment on their appearance, simply take in the information.
2.Think of a situation in your life in which you weren't sure how to behave. Now try to understand how one or two other people would see the situation. Don't compare their behavior to your own, i.e. "she would know better than me what to do", or "why is it so easy for her, but so hard for me". Rather, try to understand how they would see the situation. Would it be seen as a problem, or as an opportunity? Would it be taken seriously or lightly? Try to determine their point of view without passing judgment or comparing it to your own.
3.When having a conversation with a friend or relative, dedicate at least half of your time to talking about the other person. Concentrate on really understanding where that person is coming from with their concerns. Ask questions.
4.Think of the people who are closest to you. As you think of each person, tell yourself "this person has their own life going on, and they are more concerned with their own life than they are with mine." Remember that this doesn't mean that they don't care about you. It's the natural order of things. Try to visualize what that person is doing right now. What things are they encountering, what thoughts are they having? Don't pass judgment, or compare their situation to your own.
5.Try to identify the personality type of everyone that you come into contact with for any length of time.

Ten Rules to Live By to Achieve ISFP Success

Ten Rules to Live By to Achieve ISFP Success

1.Feed Your Strengths! Encourage your natural artistic abilities and creativity. Nourish your spirituality. Give yourself opportunities to help the needy or underprivileged.
2.Face Your Weaknesses! Realize and accept that some traits are strengths and some are weaknesses. Facing and dealing with your weaknesses doesn't mean that you have to change who you are, it means that you want to be the best You possible. By facing your weaknesses, you are honoring your true self, rather than attacking yourself.
3.Express Your Feelings. Don't let unexpressed emotions build up inside of you. If you have strong feelings, sort them out and express them, Don't let them build up inside you to the point where they become unmanageable!
4.Listen to Everything. Try not to dismiss anything immediately. Let everything soak in for awhile, then apply judgment.
5.Smile at Criticism. Remember that people will not always agree with you or understand you, even if they value you greatly. Try to see disagreement and criticism as an opportunity for growth. In fact, that is exactly what it is.
6.Be Aware of Others. Remember that there are 15 other personality types out there who see things differently than you see them. Try to identify other people's types. Try to understand their perspectives.
7.Be Accountable for Yourself. Remember that YOU have more control over your life than any other person has.
8.Be Gentle in Your Expectations. You will always be disappointed with others if you expect too much of them. Being disappointed with another person is the best way to drive them away. Treat others with the same gentleness that you would like to be treated with.
9.Assume the Best. Don't distress yourself by assuming the worst. Remember that a positive attitude often creates positive situations.
10.When in Doubt, Ask Questions! Don't assume that the lack of feedback is the same thing as negative feedback. If you need feedback and don't have any, ask for it.

A Comforting Tear

A tear fell on my pillow last night

Though, it did not belong to me

Owned by a love so powerful

A presence, I knew, only one could be

I asked, "Why do you cry by my side"

Replying, "My child, I will comfort you

For fear is the last thing you will feel

My love shall guide you through"

My body felt at peace last night

For once, I did not worry

All the tribulations in my life

This man was willing to carry

I asked "Why do you want to help me now

After all this time I have called upon you"

Replying, "My child, you have doubted me

Now it is your turn to follow through"

As he kissed my forehead & went on his way

I realized, never was I alone

For, in his heart, held my soul

And his love for me has always grown

Who???

For the first time in my adult life I feel like life is good. Even though I have been through some really tough times in my life I have made it through by the power and grace of God. Something is missing though. I have the life that a lot of people might want. Nothing elaborate just satisfying. I work, I go to school, have great friends, church family, blood family, extended family and a little bit of a social life. There is still that one part that isn't there. I want a special person for me but I am not forcing that issue. God will let my special person find me when I am ready. I think maybe it is because in all the aspects of my life, I identify with the roles I play. I am a sister, a student. But I don't know who or what I would be without these roles. I don't know how I got to this place but it feels as if I don't own my own identity. I have certain personality traits that stand out to me but I still can't clearly identify myself through all the stuff. I guess this would be a part of the personal growth challenge for me to figure out who I am. I feel like I have become complacent and mediocre compared to how I would like to be. I don't want to be flamboyant and the life of the party but if I died today I don't think anyone would really be able to say much about me. They might talk about the things I did in my roles but what about me? Who is Zenobia when the curtain closes and the roles are left on the stage? Who is the person left there when the director yells CUT! Who am I?

Loneliness

Sometimes I feel like I can't relate to anybody. I feel like I am missing a huge part of life - a part that 99.9% of people have experienced. I can't help thinking about things lately. There is no escaping the fact the I am completely unhappy. There is a huge void in my life and it's leaving a hole so immense and so permanent that it scares me. My future seems so hopeless, I really don't enjoy anything anymore. I feel like I am trapped in a desolate well with no light. I have not much else to say. I hate missing somebody more than they miss me. I staid alone for a few days last weekend.... i hate leaving when i'm there. I have a hate/love relationships with my days off. I love them at the beginning but hate them at the end. as they days go on I start to think about my life to much and i get really sad. a sadness so deep i wish it on no one, i can't describe the empty pain that starts to take over me. but it doesnt get to me as much if i keep busy. I have no idea what i want to do with my life because i can't think of anything that would make me happy. music? yeah right, what a false hope. everything seems so played out and faded. i see the beauty in life, but i also see all of beauty's pain. i just want to be happy. I wish something would come and electrify me back to life. make me smile. make my eyes light up. make me happy. please, make my happy.