What's it like to be a Feeler?

[Tallulah]

Okay, help us Ts out. From an INTP perspective, I may feel things internally, but I'm usually detached from my emotions, and they generally don't get taken into account when I argue or make a decision. I may rely on my intuition, or my "gut" feeling about something, but it won't necessarily be a "feeling" as I suspect F people would feel them. If I feel something strongly, I always try to take a step back so my logic won't get clouded by my subjective feelings.

So here's what I want to know (inspired by the Mock Emotions thread):

1) When you talk about feelings/emotions, how do you experience them?
2) Do you always go on your feelings? Do you feel that your emotions are "trustworthy?" Do you ever feel like your view of a situation is clouded by your personal feelings?
3) How does the feeling translate into action?
4) Anything else you feel like sharing. I'm just a T, so I'm not even sure how to word all this in F language.

You don't have to answer each individual question, as I probably repeated myself. Just give us an idea of what it's like to be F in this crazy world.

[disregard]

I'm very interested in these responses as well.

[Jennifer]

... i have a really bad feeling this thread is going to be all about a bunch of T's posting and saying, "Yes, please share, we would like to assess what this means...!" and all the F's running for the hills...

[heart]

I read the post, I would not even know how to put such things into words.

[Seanan]

Originally Posted by Jennifer

... i have a really bad feeling this thread is going to be all about a bunch of T's posting and saying, "Yes, please share, we would like to assess what this means...!" and all the F's running for the hills...

Awe... there have to be some brave ones. Come on "Fs" lay yourselves out. I have.

Like I really know what I'm talking about.

Thanks Tallulah.

For you brave Fs... I especially want to know how you experience emotions. Excuse my Tness but is it mental? physical? or a combination of both. Are you having thoughts at the time and what are they? Like are you thinking "happy?" or thinking "sad? I'm sorry.

[heart]

I will say this, feeling is more sure than thinking. Logic comes to me like a reflection in a mirror. I can see, know it but I would have a hard time defending it step by step to someone else.

[cascadeco]

I think I'll take a stab at being brave...after I get back from my walk!

[Jen]

It sucks okay? I don't always use feelings when making decisions but I also live with a Thinker so that has helped. We compliment one another well.

PS I'm not comfortable talking about how I feel. What does that mean?

[nightning]

Originally Posted by Jennifer

... i have a really bad feeling this thread is going to be all about a bunch of T's posting and saying, "Yes, please share, we would like to assess what this means...!" and all the F's running for the hills...

Jennifer is far too perceptive.

Shall I turn that question around and ask "What's it like to be a Thinker"?

How am I suppose to know? I just am one.

Attempt at questions
1) When you talk about feelings/emotions, how do you experience them?
I don't talk about feelings/emotions. Whoever that hears me describe how I feel will either be a very close friend or be from a place where I maintain anonymity. In both situations I give tend to give vague descriptions.

While giving out such vague descriptions, I feel absolutely nothing. I'm reporting an experience that's all. The only time I feel anything would probably be when I'm writing to myself.

2) Do you always go on your feelings? Do you feel that your emotions are "trustworthy?" Do you ever feel like your view of a situation is clouded by your personal feelings?
I consider my emotions as responses to my perception on things. They just are. Fe reacting to the situation. I don't understand how they can be trustworthy or not. I suppose I have develop instant dislike for a person and will attempt not to interact with said person. Usually those are valid. But when it comes to trusting them to go for something, I tend to take it slow and think first.

I don't really see this as being related to F so much as N though.


3) How does the feeling translate into action?
See answer 2

[heart]

Okay, now coming to me how to express in words....

1) When you talk about feelings/emotions, how do you experience them? My heart is almost always on fire but I don't show too much of that outwards. People who don't know me often accuse me of being cold. Feeling can run so high it is like religious type ecstasy. I don't need drugs or alcohol to get high!

Everything in life inspires a feeling or a different nuance, color or tone in my emotinal world, everything affects me at a personal level and this is hard in an impersonal world.


2) Do you always go on your feelings? Do you feel that your emotions are "trustworthy?" Do you ever feel like your view of a situation is clouded by your personal feelings?

My Feelings to me when making decisions are my personal values. My thoughts are allowed a voice always, but thought needs to remain the servant not the master. When thinking gets the upper hand, I usually behave badly. Thinking can be a trickester in a way and I need to slow down when that happens and listen to feeling to make sure I am on track, acting out of my heart.

As long as thinking follows feeling, and not allowed its own way without supervision by feeling, I do much better and make far better decisions. Thinking is the support for feeling.


3) How does the feeling translate into action?
It shows through the values that motivate my actions.

Edited to add: I used to believe that being a feeler was somehow bad or unfavorable, but now I am making peace with it. I realize that in my earlier attempts to squealsh feeling I only prevented myself from being what I am best at and I often get way off track. I can only be what I am. The key to perspective as feeler is to allow thinking a voice but to always realize that it is servant to the master, it should never be given the keys and allowed to drive, it is inferior for the feeler, a naughty, rebel teen when allowed full reign without feeling keeping it in its place. Of course this is not true for thinking in the thinker and they may not understand such a comment being made by a feeler.