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[MBTI General] NFP's: how nurturing do you consider yourself?

Scott N Denver

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I started a thread over in relationships that I am now generalizing a part of to start this thread. At first I was just thinking of it in relation to INFP's, but then I realized it may very well apply to ENFP's as well.

INFP's, how nurturing do you consider yourself? We are Fi doms, and I personally think of Fi as being the most nurturing of all the functions. I know a lot of INFP's write that they don't really relate to INFP descriptions, particularly iirc the idealism, fluffy-warmness, goody-two-shoes. I don't think those are quite the right words but they are the best that is coming to me right now. I think those profiles are trying to describe Fi, and the words they pick can be overly idealistic and goody-two-shoes or whatever. I'm imagining that we span a range on this attribute, largely based upon how our Fi was viewed by others during our upbringing. Personally I consider myself pretty darn nurturing, but that's not to say that other people will necessarily notice it. Though many have and commented on it!

ENFP's, how nurturing do you consider yourselves? How would you compare that to us INFP's? Do you think that difference is largely attributable to NeFi instead of FiNe? Do you think your being extraverts allows you more expression of being nurturing or somehow makes it more publicly acceptable?

Let the nurturing begin! :hug:

Oh, if non-NFP's want to comment about NFP's that they know, feel free to.
 

Scott N Denver

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Also, are their people, situations, etc that take away from your nurturing?

For me, being at work in TJ land and NTJ land in particular is like murder on my nurturance.
 

CzeCze

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Hmm...I think ENFPs are more about "tough love" than INFPs. Not that ENFPs are even about "tough love" based on type. I have had people tell me they appreciate my "tough love" and telling people things because I care.

I have never considered myself "nurturing" but that may also be a growth issue. Nurturing has an aspect of taking ownership or responsibility and really extending yourself that was something that I never felt comfortable with. In order to "nurture" someone you have to either be let in or make your way in, so to speak.

I would say I can be caring and I have been called "sweet" literally by people (that I've dated) - and even that was a surprise to me.

I think it may be the nature of Fi and a guarded approach to relating to people, but no, I don't think of myself as nurturing. Supportive, yes. Nurturing, no.
 

Coeur

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I am extremely, extremely nurturing. I would be smothering, except that I am sensitive to the other person's need for space. As I've grown older, I've become more and more demonstrative. Lots of hugs, lots of "I love you"s, lots of compliments...etc. I'm great with kids, too. People comment that I am "SO NICE!" I have a very powerful instinct to comfort, help, and take care of people that I'm close to.
 

Bubbles

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Around family members and close friends, yes, I hug and say "I love you!" and pretty much overdo the nurturing bit. Not so much in a work environment or even in a public one though, it's more of a private thing for me. But yes, when I connect with people I do come off like that, and often get labeled things similar to what the OP described.

The (many) ENFPs I know are more prone to "tough love," like CzeCze said. They tell you what needs to be told, but because they love you. :hug:
 

entropie

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Ok this is an answer, divided in two parts, which are not related to each other:

-----------------
1st
Does the thread title adress NTs who nurture NFs, too ?
-----------------
2nd
Well my INFJ choosed an entp boyfriend, what actually says she must have a nurturing-complex :D
 

Thursday

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I would say I am very nurturing
~foot massages - getting anything you may need
to the point of waiting on you hand and foot
~long hugs - caresses on the back and leg - kisses on the neck
~calls to tell you remind you of how good you are
 

alcea rosea

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ENFP's, how nurturing do you consider yourselves? How would you compare that to us INFP's? Do you think that difference is largely attributable to NeFi instead of FiNe? Do you think your being extraverts allows you more expression of being nurturing or somehow makes it more publicly acceptable?

I'm very nurturing but not in a way somebody is physically providng. I'm not the prefect host-type of nurting person at all. I mean I'm mostly mentally very nurturing, very soothing, supporting and providing good feedback to people. And with my own children, I'm also nurturing physically, I mean lots of hugs and kisses and making the children feel that they are safe.

With adults I'm more mentally supporting. I'm have a huge need of space between me and other adults and thus I don't show my supporting and nurturing physically to adults (except to those people closest to me). Except for my empathy/sympathy touch when somebody is really sad and i'm feeling it.
 

Thalassa

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I'm extremely nurturing toward animals, period. I'm extremely nurturing toward people I genuinely care about, I can be extremely affectionate and supportive, or toward strangers who are obviously in need of assistance I will give practical help. I will hug people who are upset, or listen to people who need to vent. But I don't go around just looking for random people to nurture. I can't ever see myself becoming a nurse. However, I have a soft spot for adolescents, particularly the ones who seem "lost."
 

laintpe

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for awhile i thought i might be kind of nfp-ish... but after reading this... no.. just.. no.
 

alcea rosea

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I'm extremely nurturing toward animals, period. I'm extremely nurturing toward people I genuinely care about, I can be extremely affectionate and supportive, or toward strangers who are obviously in need of assistance I will give practical help. I will hug people who are upset, or listen to people who need to vent. But I don't go around just looking for random people to nurture. I can't ever see myself becoming a nurse. However, I have a soft spot for adolescents, particularly the ones who seem "lost."

I'm too like that for animals. Nurturing.

Not being a nurse was something I meant when I wrote in my previous post that I'm not physically providing. I wouldn't be a nurse either.

I'm not mentally nurturing for everybody either. ;)
 

Wiley45

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If somebody wants dinner cooked at a certain time, and laundry cleaned/folded/put away on a particular day of the week, lunches packed, feet rubbed, etc. (generally a maid) and considers that nurturing, they're not going to have much luck looking this way. :)

But if we're talking emotional investment in someone else, including listening, caring, hugging, encouraging, etc., then I'm extremely nurturing, when I choose to be. I have a soft spot for almost the world at large, but I choose who I want to emotionally invest in.
 

matilda

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It's either all out (family members and pets only), or nothing at all.

I'm not even nurturing towards my best friend.
 

Amargith

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I'm no great hostess, nor am I good at helping you out practically. But I'll be there to comfort. I tend to be drawn to those that vibe out an emotional need, be it big or small, temporary or longterm and my instinct is in fact to try and nurture them, cheer them up, boost their confidence, hug them, whatever it is that they in that moment seem to need.

Animals always have that effect on me, as do my SO and the people I've completely opened up to.
 

BerberElla

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I'm no great hostess, nor am I good at helping you out practically. But I'll be there to comfort. I tend to be drawn to those that vibe out an emotional need, be it big or small, temporary or longterm and my instinct is in fact to try and nurture them, cheer them up, boost their confidence, hug them, whatever it is that they in that moment seem to need.

Animals always have that effect on me, as do my SO and the people I've completely opened up to.

+1

Could have written this myself. :yes:
 

Moiety

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I'm not nurturing in the classical sense. But like Cze Cze mentioned, I'm good with "tough love". I like to help people in some way, when they are facing big problems (usually not everyday stuff), but I do it in my own way.
 

sculpting

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With animals and small children always. With adults rarely.

Tough love sounds familiar. I would like to nurture more but it is very hard to tell if people really want it or not.
 

JivinJeffJones

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I'm a pretty terrible nurturer I think. I'm kind of like a time-traveller from the future. I see bad things happening to the people around me and I feel for them but I mustn't interfere lest I endanger the very fabric of the space-time continuum. When people are going through a rough patch I'm reluctant to intervene because, on some level, I believe suffering is making them a more profound person. It's stripping away pretenses and self-delusions. Yeah I know how that sounds. :doh: So I study them sympathetically and try to empathise with what they're going through and hope deeply that they'll pull through. Does it offer them comfort? Probably not. I don't know. I think whatever active attempts to comfort people I make are aimed at doing just enough to counter-balance any sense of intrusiveness my presence might otherwise cause.

I'm sort of like an emotional-anthropologist. :shock: I don't know if this is a natural state for me or an unnatural. Anyway, no, I don't think I'm very nurturing. If I am, I'm not aware of it.
 

Moiety

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I'm a pretty terrible nurturer I think. I'm kind of like a time-traveller from the future. I see bad things happening to the people around me and I feel for them but I mustn't interfere lest I endanger the very fabric of the space-time continuum. When people are going through a rough patch I'm reluctant to intervene because, on some level, I believe suffering is making them a more profound person. It's stripping away pretenses and self-delusions. Yeah I know how that sounds. :doh: So I study them sympathetically and try to empathise with what they're going through and hope deeply that they'll pull through. Does it offer them comfort? Probably not. I don't know. I think whatever active attempts to comfort people I make are aimed at doing just enough to counter-balance any sense of intrusiveness my presence might otherwise cause.

I'm sort of like an emotional-anthropologist. :shock: I don't know if this is a natural state for me or an unnatural. Anyway, no, I don't think I'm very nurturing. If I am, I'm not aware of it.

Shit man...that's terrible! :laugh:
 

Udog

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I'm kind of like a time-traveller from the future. I see bad things happening to the people around me and I feel for them but I mustn't interfere lest I endanger the very fabric of the space-time continuum.

:rofl1: Funnily enough, I've felt something very similar before. My need to give people space to live their lives sometimes fights with my desire to help them feel better.

In the end, it really depends on how much I respect or care for the person, how much good I think I can do, and how appreciative they are. I can be very nurturing and supportive to those that fit those three criteria.
 
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