Miller / THE INFJ PERSONALITY GUIDE-1 / 14 more time to myself. Whenever I wanted, I could withdraw to my room to read, which I did almost every night for about an hour. During the roommate years, I often took long walks by myself to think. Some of my fondest memories are of driving to quiet spots at nearby parks, walking into the woods or by a stream and enjoying the calm and quiet of nature. I treasured and needed time alone to recharge. As you think about your own introversion, consider how you recharge. Though you may like to be with people, what do you do when you’re tired and spent? Consider your stage of life and needs. Then, think about where you draw your energy. All of this information will give you insight into your introversion. Thoughts Another aspect of introversion has to do with the way a person thinks. Introverts tend to take their ideas and questions inward and work them out through mental investigation and reflection. Most introverts don’t talk in order to think. Introverts talk far less than extroverts for this very reason. They want to know that they’re contributing a meaningful idea, one that they’ve had time to flesh out. If they have not thoroughly considered what they are thinking, they might not say anything at all. Of course, the setting makes a big difference when it comes to talking. If an INFJ is with a friend or two or three, she’ll probably share more than if she were in a meeting at work. It depends on how well she knows and trusts the other people and the formality, nature, and topic of the conversation. For example, when I’m in a meeting at work, I seldom contribute as much as my colleagues. I’ll occasionally chime in so that the leader of the meeting knows that I’m engaged, and if I have an important idea, observation, or question, I’ll share it. For the most part, however, I keep quiet. When I’m with my family or my wife, it’s a different story. Sometimes, I don’t shut up long enough to allow others to share in the conversation. I’m so relaxed and comfortable and excited to be with people who actually care about what I have to say that I’ll occasionally say more than I should. For the most part, however, as introverts, INFJs prefer to work their ideas out in their heads first. Then, once they’ve wrestled with them a while, they may share them with others, seeking feedback and input. Communication INFJs can be excellent communicators. They, after all, love to help people by suggesting innovative people solutions. INFJs serve with their words. While they’ll do chores when necessary, one of their gifts is language, so they tend to employ this strength most often. As introverts, INFJs tend to do their best work when they’re writing. Most introverts prefer writing to speaking because it allows them time to work out their thoughts before they share them. When speaking extemporaneously with a friend or colleague, a person has to respond quickly on the spot. Behind a