The push and pull of embracing yourself
I am an INTJ, a 5w4. StrengthFinder tells me that Learner, Achiever, and Intellection are among my top themes. And I have always been a little ashamed of these descriptions.
I remember I once met someone with the same strengths in common. He joked and said, “Hey, you’re a robot like me, but at least you’re a nice robot.” (Harmony was another one of my strengths, whereas Competition was one of his.) It was one of the many instances in which I felt like my MBTI, enneagram, or strengths affirmed that indeed, I am somewhat robotic, and therefore missing something that others have.
I know I am more than what these personality tests can tell me, but I realize that these personality types capture the parts of me I am most insecure about. These are aspects of myself that I find difficult to embrace because it makes me feel less than human.
To me, to be human is to love, to express, to be vulnerable. And I am not very much of any one of those things... at least in the ways that I think I should be. For some reason (or for maybe good reason), I think that the essence of humanity lies within relationships. And not just any kind of relationship, but the kind that involves blood, sweat, and tears in the way you share and invest and engage with one another. Whereas the types of relationships that I feel suit my personality are the kind that are more functional, less frequent, less intimate.
The words that describe 5w4s are “intense,” “cerebral,” “secretive,” or “isolated.” They draw a tension in me: I cringe and desperately wish that other words would fit me better, while I am also excited by the thought of withdrawing to enjoy introspection and revelation. And this is the crossroads at which I stand. Part of me wants to embrace my desire to write, to think, to read . . . even at the cost of time with friends, family, building relationships and having fun. The other part of me mourns over the image of the recluse or the harried writer, who pursued her curiosities at the cost of distanced friendships and misunderstandings.
I know this is not all-or-nothing, but more likely an opportunity to expand my own perspective on what it looks like to love, comfort, and connect. The question I’m asking myself now is, what might it look like to share, connect with, and love others as a type 5 (while also being cognizant of the way they receive love)?