What Myers-Briggs Taught Me About EQ (And Being an ENFP - aka a Hurricane of Feelings)

You know that moment when someone tells you to “stop being so sensitive,” and you’re like, “Oh no, sweetie, this isn’t sensitivity—it’s my superpower!”?

Welcome to the wild and wonderful world of Myers-Briggs personality types, where feelings aren't flaws—they're features. And emotional intelligence (EQ)? That’s the real flex.

First off, what is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), anyway?

Glad you asked. The MBTI is a personality assessment that helps people understand how they perceive the world and make decisions. It’s based on four dichotomies:

• Introversion (I) vs. Extraversion (E)

• Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N)

• Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)

• Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)

Once you take the test, you’ll land on one of 16 personality types (think: ENFP, ISTJ, INFJ… you get it).

Want to take it? You can try the free version at 16personalities.com or find the official MBTI at mbtionline.com.

So what does MBTI have to do with emotional intelligence?

A lot, actually. Your type can help you:

• Identify how you process emotions (yours and others')

• Recognize your triggers

• Understand your communication style

• Improve relationships at work, home, or when someone chews too loud in public

Basically, it gives you a cheat sheet for becoming a more self-aware, emotionally agile human. And that’s the name of the EQ game.

ENFPs: A Case Study in Emotional Intelligence, Curiosity, and Occasional Chaos

Let’s talk about my type—ENFP–aka, The Campaigner–aka, the walking Pinterest board of ideas, enthusiasm, and too many browser tabs.

A quick breakdown of the ENFP vibe:

• Extraverted: Talk to recharge. Silence is suspicious.

• Ntuitive: Obsessed with the why behind everything.

• Feeling: All the feelings. Every day. All at once.

• Perceiving: Plans are fine… but spontaneous joy is better.

ENFPs are known for their emotional depth, optimism, and ability to connect with just about anyone—including the cranky barista, your moody toddler, and that one guy from accounting who never smiles.

Two famous ENFPs:

• Robin Williams (The iconic human sprinkler of joy and pain.) He once said, "I think the saddest people always try their hardest to make people happy because they know what it's like to feel absolutely worthless and they don't want anyone else to feel like that." Whew. Read that again and try not to tear up. ENFPs feel this in our bones.

• Jim Carrey (Yes, that guy who made your childhood better and has a surprisingly soulful take on emotions.) Check out this clip, where he beautifully explains that depression is your body saying, “I don’t want to play this character anymore.” Like… how are you gonna hit us with that kind of wisdom and then shapeshift into The Grinch? Sir.

Why MBTI + EQ Is the Ultimate Combo

Here’s what using MBTI for emotional growth can look like:

• 🧠 Self-awareness: Knowing you need time alone to recharge? That’s gold.

• 💬 Better communication: Realizing your friend needs facts while you want feelings? Game-changer.

• 💥 Reduced drama: Understanding someone’s type can help you not take things personally (or at least not spiral for 3 days).

Plus, it just makes you way more fun at dinner parties. (“What’s your type?” is the new “What do you do?”)

Final Thoughts: Feel Deeply, Laugh Loudly, Learn Always

Getting older (hi, 35+) comes with a new level of self-awareness. It’s the point in life where your body whispers, “We’re not hitting personal records anymore; we’re just fighting gravity.” And that’s okay.

What matters is how we shift:

• Tune into what feels right, not just what looks good on paper.

• Recognize emotional patterns and move through them with intention.

• Keep learning who we are, because spoiler alert: we’re always evolving.

So whether you’re an ENFP, ISTJ, or an “I-don’t-need-a-label” type—know this:

You’re allowed to feel a lot. You’re allowed to grow slowly. And you’re allowed to laugh at yourself along the way. Because that? That’s the real emotional intelligence.

👣 Ready to explore your type and grow with it?

Head to 16personalities.com and take the test—then come back and let me know your results. I’ll try not to overanalyze it. (Just kidding, I absolutely will.)