INFJ

Creativity
and Self-Care
Hacks
SUSAN STORM
 Copyright © 2018 by Susan Storm
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any
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recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods,
without prior written permission of the author, except in
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permitted by copyright law
 Introduction

As an INFJ, creativity is vitally important to you. Coming up

with original ideas, inventing something new, seeing a new angle
or perspective to something makes you feel alive. 

Why is creativity so central to your well-being?

As an INFJ you use a mental process called Introverted Intuition.

This process allows you to see things from numerous
perspectives and angles. It gives you flashes of insight and
awareness of how something will likely play out in the future.
But that's not enough. You want to DO something with this
insight and this ability. Many INFJs create  stories, artwork, or
business ideas that utilize this mental process. 

But how do you get introverted intuition to "work" for you?

As an INFJ Introverted Intuition should come naturally. It's your

most preferred function after all! But sometimes our
environments don't allow it to really "shine". When you're in a
fast food restaurant with a group of friends and it's bright and
noisy and everyone's talking it can be really hard to tap into
introverted intuition and your own creativity. But when you're
alone in nature you may find that insights and ideas flow
through you naturally. Creativity becomes easy. 

This eBook will give you some simple tips and tricks for tapping
into your intuition and your unique brand of creativity. I hope
you love it!

3
Step 1 to Creativity

De-Stress
A Peaceful Mind

Is a Creative Mind
Stress is one of the greatest saboteurs to creativity. It causes
headaches, fatigue, stomach upset, sleep problems, anxiety,  lack of
motivation or focus and SO much more. If you want to really
harness yor well-being and creativity then finding ways to reduce
stress is ESSENTIAL. 

But reducing stress isn't always easy.

What if you're broke?

What if your responsibilities are crushing you?
What if you hate your job?
What if you're in a bad relationship?

After reading this book I hope you'll take a good look at what you
CAN do to relieve stress (I'll give you the tips!) and what can be
modified. Ask yourself, "what responsibilities aren't helping me or
the people I love?" or "is  there another career option I could
pursue?". You might have some tough questions to face, but it's
important to look them square in the face if you want to find
solutions!

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 What Causes
Stress for INFJs?

Excessive Sensory Stimulation

Having to pay attention to too many details
Too much time spent socializing and not enough
alone time
Lack of appreciation
Unfamiliar environments with overwhelming
details
Disrupted plans
Criticism or lack of harmony
Having to focus too much on the present moment
Interruptions

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 What happens to
you when you're
stressed?
As an INFJ, you're go-to mental process is Introverted Intuition, or
Ni for short. This is your dominant function so it's the process that
you naturally feel the most comfortable using. You may try to get
away from all the noise and chaos and analyze or meditate until
an idea or solution just pops into your head! That's one of the ways 
Ni can work.

If you can't do that, then you might try to go to your second-

favorite function; Extraverted Feeling (Fe). You may try to see
what other people need and try to find a solution that solves the
problem for them in hopes that this will solve your problem as
well. Or you may try to "vent" your emotions to the outside world
in some way, either through seeing a counselor or talking to a
friend.

If stress is chronic or extremely severe, you might fall into the

“grip” of your inferior function; Extraverted Sensing (Se). When
this happens, you become more impulsive, short-sighted, and
possibly reckless. You may become obsessed with cleaning,
exercising, binge-watching television, or engaging in unsafe,
adrenaline-inducing activities. 

During "grip" stress, you might feel immobilized or trapped in a

paralyzed, unproductive state without a clear focus or direction.
This is very stressful for you because as an NJ you like to have a
plan or vision for your life.
7
When you can't see a clear pathway for the future it can leave
you overwhelmed, perplexed and lost. Many INFJs experience
migraine headaches or symptoms of IBS under extreme stress like
this.

You can see a good visual example of what happens below:

8
 HOW TO DE-STRESS
Option #1 - Get Some Alone Time

INFJs need to be able to get away from everything and

everyone when they are especially stressed. When you are
around other people, you naturally pick up on other people’s
emotional states. This can make it difficult for you to stay
calm, especially if they’re stressed, because your Extraverted
Feeling function is like a radar detector that is always going
off detecting outside emotions and needs. Getting away from
everyone gives you the opportunity to quiet that process
down and regain equilibrium.

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Option #2 - Reduce Sensory Stimulation

Because INFJs are so sensitive to sensory stimuli, it’s very

important for you to remove yourself from stimulation
when you feel you’re losing your cool. Many INFJs report
that they feel better if they can go into a dark room and lay
down with their head in a pillow, or just find a quiet place
where they can take some deep breaths and get away from
any noise, lights, or interruptions.

Option #3 - Say No to Non-Essential Responsibilities

INFJs have a tendency to take on more projects and

responsibilities than they can handle. Reducing the amount
of items on your to-do list can help exponentially in calming 
down while reducing pressure and strain.
10
Option #4 - Spend Time in Nature

Take a walk through the woods, relax by a quiet stream, or

lay out in the grass to calm your mind. You can use this time
to access your inferior function, Extraverted Sensing, in a
healthy way, savoring every sight and sound that nature
brings and just soaking in the moment.

Option #5 - Find a Healthy Sensory Hobby

If you are dealing with grip reactions regularly, it can help to

find a healthy outlet for your sensing function. Some INFJs
enjoy photography, others enjoy baking, some enjoy fishing,
gardening, or even watching sports! It’s good for INFJs to
have a healthy sensory hobby that they can turn to when
they are feeling immobilized by stress.
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Option #6 - Exercise

Getting moving releases natural stress-relieving endorphins

in your brain! Whether it’s taking a jog through the
neighborhood or doing some yoga, any form of exercise can
help you to snap out of an unhealthy stress phase.

Option #7 - Get Less Serious

Did you know that INFJs are notorious perefectionists?

Sometimes taking a step back and learning how to laugh or
even cry can be a good thing! Many INFJs report that having
some form of light emotional outlet helps them to recoup. So
go ahead and watch a goofy movie or cry through a sappy
drama!  INFJs often feel a sense of relief by letting go of some
form of emotion.
12
Option #8 - Journal

As an INFJ one of your strongest mental processes is called

Extraverted Feeling (Fe). You are very aware of other
people’s emotions, but can be less aware of your own. This
can make emotionally stressful times a real challenge,
because you aren’t programmed to organize and understand
your own emotions - your programmed to understand
emotions outside yourself. By writing out your feelings, you
can effectively “feed” your own emotions back to yourself
using Extraverted Feeling. If you keep your emotions
internalized, you teend to feel stifled, confused, and unable
to sort them out. So write your feelings down and read them
back to yourself so you can process and sort them more
effectively.

13
Option #9- Vent

When you've had some time to decompress by yourself,

talking out your problems with a trusted friend can be a
great comfort. By voicing your stressors out loud, you can
then hear and channel them through Extraverted Feeling.
You might feel sick of yourself after venting for very long,
but you'll probably also feel less overwhelmed. Don't feel
ashamed for opening up to someone! It’s very important for
you to have an outward outlet for your emotions, otherwise
you don’t have a very capable way of understanding and
processing those feelings.

14
Option #10 - Meditate And/Or Pray

Canceling out all the distractions, the noise, the chaos and
focusing on deep breathing and full-body relaxation can help
you to silence the anxiety and stress and find tranquility. It
can also help your intuition to kick back into gear in a healthy
way and you might find a solution popping into your head out
of nowhere!

Option #11 - Do Some Light Problem Solving

INFJs have Introverted Thinking as their tertiary “relief”

function. Using this function can pull you out of a "grip" stress
reaction. So grab a Sudoku puzzle, play some Chinese checkers,
or categorize the books on your shelf! These practies can help
you to calm down, re-focus your energies, and then come back
and face the problem later in a steadier state of mind.
15
Step 2 to Creativity

Harness Intuition
Getting Into a "Flow State"
Requires Intuition
Every individual has a different way that they can reach
creative "flow". You might be asking yourself..

"What is flow anyway?"

Flow is , according to psychologist Mihály

Csíkszentmihályi, an "optimal state of consciousness where
we feel our best and perform our best." When you're in a
state of flow the time flies, you have clear goals, you don't
feel self-conscious, and you have complete focus and
clarity in what you're doing. You'll feel a sort of creative
"high" that pushes you through a tremendous amount of
productivity and creation.

For INFJs the pathway to creative flow is through

intuition. As your dominant function, this is the mental
process that allows you to be creative, energized, and
confident in your abilities. Typologist John Beebe calls
the dominant function "the Hero" and this is because it is
the function we use when we are the most in charge, the
most capable, and ready to "lead the charge" or "save the
day". 

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 HARNESSING INTUITION
Option #1 - Develop a "Stream of Consciousness" Journal

Pick out a notebook or journal. It doesn't have to be any thing special

(although it can be!) and pick a quiet time of day to be alone with it.
Some people find that lighting a candle or playing some soft music
helps to inspire them when they begin.

Take a pencil or pen and simply write out every  thought or feeling
that comes to your mind. Write without thinking. Don't worry about
spelling or grammar or the quality of your hand-writing. Don't worry
about whether or not your journaling makes sense.

Many intuitives find that if they write in these journals over time
they'll see that their intuition was guiding or "predicting" certain
events in their lives. When you give all the unsconscious and
conscious data in your mind a "space" to express itself you can see in a
more concrete way how your intuition works. You may also uncover
some creative ideas! 18
Option #2 - Drive Without a Destination

Discard the map, the GPS, the agenda, and just go wherever
your intuition guides you. Listen to some inspiring music, or
just enjoy the silence, take in the scenery and pull off if you
find something especially inspiring. Maybe you'll notice
symbols, plants, or sights that give way to creative thoughts
and ideas. Maybe you'll find a new location that fills you
with peace and hope. Turn off your cell phone, focus on deep
breathing, and feel the freedom and escape of just going
wherever your feelings and intuition tell you to go. You
never know where it will lead!

19
Option #3 - Imagine Yourself Without Limits

Take some time to relax in a quiet, peaceful environment.

Now imagine yourself without limits or boundaries. What
would that be like? What would you be capable of? Use a
pad of paper and a pen to draw or write any ideas,
connections, or symbols that pop into your mind.

Sometimes intuitions and creative inspirations can strike

you during these simple imaginative exercises.

Option #4 - Place Yourself In the Future

Picture yourself five, ten, or twenty years from now. Where

are you? What images come to mind? Write them down or
draw them and take your time! 
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Step 3 to Creativity

create!
"An essential aspect of
creativity....
...is not being afraid
to fail."
- Edwin Land

I really hope that by this point you'll have used some of the
techniques mentioned in this book to reduce your stress and
enjoy more peace of mind! Tranquility and inner harmony is a
wonderful palette for creativity!

I also hope that you've found some ways to tap into your
intuition and let inspiration come to you without having to
chase after it and wear yourself out in the process!

Being creative is so deeply fulfilling and life-giving. The goal is to

start with an open mind and without fear of failure. If you paint
a picture and it looks like a blob of mold, just go with it, laugh
about it, and keep trying! If you come up with a business idea
and it fails, just remember that all the greatest entrepreneurs
(Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, even Bill Gates) have experienced failure!
The  point is to never give up and to keep trying and improving
with time!

22
 KEYS TO CREATIVITY
Option #1 - Draw Anything

Don't worry about perfection and don't judge yourself. Just

doodle for at least 5-10 minutes a day. Over time your skill
will improve and you also might find yourself having
inspirations for other parts of your life that seem totally
unrelated! 

Option #2 - Write a Short Story

Look up any word in the dictionary and write a short story

revolving around that word. 
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Option #3- Sleep on a Problem

Think of a problem you want to solve and write it in a

notebook. Put the notebook by your bed and close it. When
you wake up in the morning see if your intuition or
unconscious has provided any solutions or creative
strategies for dealing with the problem.

Option #4 - Work in a New Environment

Do you usually work at your home office or pay your bills at

the kitchen table? Try going out in nature or to a bookstore
with Wi-Fi. Studies have shown that working in new and
different places (hopefully quiet places) can help you to be
more creative and find new ideas!

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Option #5- Create a Blog

Are you an amateur photographer? Are you interested in an

unusual topic? No matter what your interest you can easily
create a blog on the topic and connect with fellow
enthusiasts! You can create a free blog on Worpress or
Blogger and fill the blog with short stories, artwork, photos
and more. It's a great way to showcase your creative
progression and pursuits!

Option #6 - Pursue Random Acts of Kindness

Find some creative ways to show compassion to the people

around you!  Whether it's writing hand-written letters to
elderly shut-ins or cleaning up your favorite beach or state
park, spending time caring for others actually makes you
more creative AND happy!
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Option #7 - Play a Musical Instrument

Have you always wanted to learn to strum a guitar or play a

classical piece on the piano? Now is a perfect time to start!
Playing a musical instrument engages every area of the
brain at once - especially visual, auditory, and motor
corticles. The longer you play an instrument the faster
messages can travel through your brain, the faster you can
problem solve, and the more creative you can be! Playing
musical instruments can also lower your risk of dementia
according to research 

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 "INTUITION WILL
TELL THE
THINKING MIND
WHERE TO LOOK
NEXT. "
- JONAS SALK

Find Out More

You can find even more
creativity hacks and ways
to boost your intuition in
my new
e-Book: The INFJ -
Understanding the Mystic. 

This book is packed with

in-depth information about
- INFJ Relationships
- The INFJ Childhood
- INFJs as Parents
- INFJ Careers
Get the e-book at
and More!
www.psychologyjunkie.com