The Darkish Aspect of the ENFP Persona Sort

For the ENFP, life is a sequence of thrilling adventures, prospects, and discoveries. Curious and imaginative, they take pleasure in exploring new and novel concepts. When within the ENFP’s presence, it’s possible you’ll really feel such as you’re surrounded by gentle and enthusiasm. Nonetheless, ENFPs can turn into unhealthy and trigger hurt to themselves or these round them when they’re unhealthy, immature, or imbalanced.

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What Does ENFP Imply?

The ENFP is among the 16 Myers-Briggs® character sorts. The code “ENFP” stands for Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving. You will get a fast overview of the ENFP character sort right here.

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This text comprises an affiliate hyperlink to a questionnaire on Persona Hacker. If you buy one among their programs, I get a small kickback that I can use to pay for internet hosting and different calls for of this web site. I solely suggest programs I like.

The Many Methods a Darkish Aspect Can Present Up for the ENFP:

Everybody has a darkish aspect. It doesn’t matter what your character sort is, you’ll be able to turn into unhealthy or unbalanced.

Mostly, the darkish aspect of an ENFP exhibits up when they’re:

Burdened
One-sided
Immature
Overwhelmed
Feeling trapped
Feeling unappreciated
Working outdoors their strengths

The Burdened ENFP:

“Folks will do something, irrespective of how absurd, to keep away from going through their very own souls.” – Carl Jung

All of us expertise sure signs of stress. Raised blood strain, muscle stress, abdomen misery – these items are unavoidable. However there are different issues extra particular to the ENFP character sort that may present up throughout moments of maximum stress.

When ENFPs first encounter stress, they attempt to clear up it by discovering the constructive aspect to the issue. Is there a hidden blessing within the problem? Is there a brand new risk offered by the problem? On the lookout for the brilliant aspect is commonly the very first thing an ENFP will do. Secondly, they might attempt to calm issues down to allow them to tune into their coronary heart and see what their feelings are telling them. Do they have to be alone? Do they should discuss to somebody? What do they want emotionally? Can they outline their emotions?

Nonetheless, if stress solely continues or will increase, ENFPs can encounter one thing referred to as “grip stress.” Throughout grip stress, ENFPs typically turn into pessimistic, irritable, and anxious. They could develop tunnel-vision, feeling that there’s just one answer to the issue at hand. Alternatively, they might turn into overwhelmed by emotions of bodily hyper-awareness. It’s common for ENFPs within the grip to turn into anxious about bodily alerts, or hyper-aware of each single element of their our bodies.

Issues That Trigger Stress for ENFPs:

Having their life too deliberate out and regimented
Having to observe a bunch of guidelines that appear meaningless
Specializing in repetitive, detailed duties
Restrictions on brainstorming or envisioning the long run
Criticism or disharmony
Having to hurry by way of a mission
Overextending themselves
Not getting sufficient time with individuals
Having to hurry to decide

The One-Sided ENFP:

ENFPs are extroverts, however additionally they have an introverted aspect. When ENFPs hyper-fixate on the extroverted aspect of their character, they’ll lose contact with their values, integrity, and private well-being. ENFPs are pushed to discover many prospects and concepts, however at occasions they are often so seduced by a brand new concept or alternative that they go away different initiatives unfinished. They could additionally resist obligations or mundane duties to chase after one thing new and glossy. This will look as extreme as neglecting your kids since you’re chasing a brand new risk or as benign as skipping flossing your enamel as a result of it’s boring and also you’ve acquired higher issues to do. ENFPs who’re one-sided turn into so entranced by new prospects and concepts, that they go away many beneficial issues previously.

The Immature ENFP:

ENFPs at their greatest are open-minded, considerate, and pushed to create constructive change on the planet. ENFPs at their worst could be irresponsible, careless, and rebellious. ENFPs might wrestle with dedication, feeling that it ties them down or limits their potential. They could additionally keep away from accountability for concern of being seen as rigid or uncreative. Immature ENFPs might take little to no accountability for his or her actions and even blame others for his or her circumstances. They could rationalize away any penalties of their decisions, which may result in poor decision-making and an absence of non-public progress.

Being Unappreciated:

ENFPs thrive on being appreciated and valued. Like anybody else, they wish to be acknowledged for his or her contributions. However some individuals don’t recognize the ENFP’s character strengths. They see their enthusiasm as flaky, their sensitivity as overly emotional, their creativeness as unrealistic, and their spontaneous way of life as undependable. ENFPs can really feel crushed by these perceptions of them, particularly if the individuals making these judgments are of their households. Over time, ENFPs might even purchase into this false narrative about who they’re and turn into much less enthusiastic and inventive due to it. They could stifle their strengths, changing into depressed and cynical in consequence. They could additionally overextend or exhaust themselves, attempting to be every part to everybody else as a substitute of who they really are.

The Self-Righteous ENFP:

ENFPs are very unbiased and have robust convictions about what is correct and mistaken. Once they’re unhealthy, they’ll consider that their values and ethics must be adopted by everybody. Anybody who doesn’t align with their beliefs is solely mistaken. This will seem like having little to no endurance for individuals with totally different political or spiritual affiliations, or making self-righteous rants in the direction of individuals with out taking the time to see the context of their life conditions. ENFPs on this state can turn into preachy and unyielding, creating stress and battle with those that don’t agree with them.

Wholesome ENFPs are open-minded and interested by individuals with totally different views. They understand that earlier than an individual enters their life, they’ve skilled actually 1000’s of issues which have formed who they’re. They know that life is comprised of tales, and we solely know a fraction of a % of somebody’s story. Due to this, they’re slower to evaluate than most individuals and are fascinated by getting an actual take a look at who somebody is and why they’re the best way that they’re.

4 Methods for ENFPs to Develop:

It’s necessary to find time for the extroverted and introverted sides of your character sort. Find time for socializing, brainstorming, and creating with others. But additionally make time to test in with your self, be taught, and mirror. Whenever you take time to kind connections with others whereas additionally changing into extra self-aware, you turn into extra mature and balanced. This results in a extra purposeful way of life.
As an ENFP it’s pure to really feel pulled by dozens of various prospects and concepts. However earlier than you soar to a different mission or distraction, ask your self, “Will I be ok with this on the finish of the day?” You may as well take a look at your tasks or the individuals relying on you and ask your self whether or not you’re making a call you’ll be able to be ok with in your coronary heart. Checking in together with your coronary heart and ensuring you’re aligned together with your values is essential to creating good choices.
Most ENFPs are open-minded and non-judgmental, however in case you’re unhealthy, you can begin to make snap judgments of others. Particularly if these different individuals maintain totally different values from your personal. Learn books about individuals from totally different walks of life, talk with quite a lot of individuals with totally different existence, and proceed studying in regards to the types of human expertise. The extra you already know and perceive, the much less you’ll be tempted to evaluate others harshly.
When harassed, test in with your self to see what you want. Get a while alone to focus in your respiration, clench and unclench each muscle in your physique, and sluggish your racing ideas. Take a stroll in nature, meditate, pray, or take a nap. You’ll find extra details about stress particular to ENFPs right here (in addition to get extra options).