The 5 People/5 Traits Post, Pt. 2: Friends

To top it all off, ideas like networking and "the friend of my friend is my friend" hold little weight with INFPs. Friendships are earned on their own merit, by dint of the intuitive respect INFPs have for those with similar principles and values, rather than more practical alignments like those of coworkers. INFPs’ tendency to protect their sensitive inner cores and values from criticism, especially if they are on the more turbulent side of the spectrum, means that acquaintances will likely get nowhere near them without sustained and tactful effort.  - 16personalities.com

I don't befriend someone just because I know them. I need to spend time with them first, ask them questions, and get to know them. That doesn't mean I'm not willing to give others a chance, or that I'm mean to other people, it just takes time before I can trust them.

I admire each one of my friends because in each of them lies something unique. They all have a special presence about them and I think people like this are worth respecting. In this post I'm going to highlight 5 different friends of mine that I tend to spend the most time with and what their strongest trait is. They're all so different and they all mean so much to me.

Kelly - Humility
I had to think for a long time to come up with only one word to describe my best friend. The good thing is that humility isn't her only trait, though I think it's her strongest. I've known Kelly ever since I was six years old - nearly eleven years now. Ever since she was little, she was always thinking of others before herself. She's always the first to offer help, always the first to compliment someone else, and she's always looking out for others no matter what. She doesn't think highly of herself but she doesn't let that turn into pride - she's a fighter. I'm not sure she knows, but it's because she's always looking out for others she's able to overcome pride and stay true to her nature as a humble, sweet friend.

---

Shauna - Spontaneity
Her curiosity and excitement of life lead her to being spontaneous and when she's exercising this trait she's so much fun to be with. In the two years I've known Shauna she's always been very open and accepting of others, never willing to sacrifice a piece of herself but still has the ability to make light of any situation. When she gets an idea, it's a part of her nature to go through with it. A lot of people make the mistake of never going through with their ideas because fear kicks in and they back out. Shauna's the kind of person that is willing to take risks, she's daring, but also very sweet.

---

Evelyn - Honesty
The fact that I've only known Evelyn for about a year and we've already gotten so close to each other is proof that she's someone I know I can trust because she's very honest. Whenever I ask for her advice, she gives it to me plainly and how it is - she's always right too, even when I wish she wasn't. She knows how to acknowledge a situation exactly how it is and if you ask for her opinion, she'll tell you exactly what she thinks - nothing fake will be said. Not everyone can pull this off without appearing to be rude but somehow Evelyn is always very loving when she does it. ​

---

Skylar - Creativity
Another friend I've known for a long time, my whole life actually. Skylar has many great qualities and along with creative I'd say she's also humble and observant. She has excellent people skills, she's hilarious and always looking to make someone else's day a little better. She's musical, artistic, and she loves to tell stories. These qualities combined are what sparks her wit and makes her a great friend to be around. I don't think she knows just how talented and amazing she is but I see it and I know others can see it too. 

---

Matt - Boldness
Like Evelyn, I've only known Matt for about a year but within that time I've learned that he's a good friend and I can trust him. I think anyone would agree with me that he's definitely bold in that he knows who he is and what he believes. Matt's the kind of person you can "make fun" of in a joking way because he knows you're only kidding and he will do it back to you too. His sense of humor comes from his bold personality and I think since he's this way, he's willing to stand up for truth and what he believes to be right.​

---

As I said before, each of my friends are very different and I could continue to list others that I equally care about. In one way or another, I know that anyone I spend time with will have some kind of affect on me and that's why I'm careful about who I chose to hang out with. It does take time for me to trust someone and consider them a good friend, but when I do, they're my friends forever - even if they don't want to be!