You thought I was done with personality type posts after living like my zodiac sign for a day? Nope, never. Instead of tapping into astrology, this time I’m going to be living like my MBTI type for a day. If you don’t know what the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) is, it describes a person’s personality using a four-letter code, and each of those four letters stands for an aspect of their personality. There are two options for each letter, and all four letters together create one of the 16 personality types. I go into this way more in my personality quizzes post, but my MBTI type is ISFJ, aka The Defender. Here’s a quick breakdown of an ISFJ:
What the letters stand for: Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging
According to 16 Personalities: “These people tend to be warm and unassuming in their own steady way. They’re efficient and responsible, giving careful attention to practical details in their daily lives.”
Strengths: supportive, reliable, patient, imaginative, observant, enthusiastic, loyal, hard-working, good practical skills
Weaknesses: humble, shy, takes things too personally, repress their feelings, overload themselves, reluctant to change, too altruistic
I think this definitely fits me because I’m someone that really cares about their loved ones, but I tend to overwork myself. I’m also a huge creature of habit, and I hate it when I plan something out and there’s a change of plans. But let’s maybe focus on the responsible, supportive parts of me, why don’t we.
Now that we’ve gone over the ins and outs of my personality type, it’s time to live my day like a model ISFJ. Hope y’all like this, and maybe I’ll do another one of these! There are two other personality tests I took, so who knows?
Breakfast
I wanted to start the day off right with a fitting breakfast. According to Extra Crispy, here’s what an ISFJ would do for brunch: “You order peanut butter and banana oatmeal, and settle in to read a novel you’ve been meaning to start for months. There’s just never the time. You feel equal parts thrilled and guilty at having an hour to yourself.” I’m not a huge fan of normal oatmeal, so I made the overnight oats recipe from my food faves post, which has both peanut butter and banana in it. It was really nice coming downstairs in the morning and already having breakfast made and ready to go -- it’s like picking out your outfit the night before. I topped the oats with strawberries and granola, and I was so pleasantly surprised. The oatmeal tastes just like my favorite banana peanut butter smoothie bowls, and I will definitely be making this again.
Morning Routine
Funny coincidence here: if you remember from when I lived like my zodiac sign for a day, I was advised to make a to-do list first thing in the morning. Based on this article from Daily Life, I should do the same thing today. They said, “Write out a manageable to-do list – to help prevent overloading (include some time to decompress emotions) and multitasking. This can help you organize your day without feeling enormous pressure regarding the things you have to get done.” I say this all the time, and I’ll say it again, but I always make to-do lists and they really help me get productive. It’s interesting that I was told to make a to-do list again, but it’s not that surprising given that Virgos are very hardworking, just like ISFJs. If I did a day living like my enneagram, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the same thing.
Workout
I did my daily workout based on information from Well + Good. They said, “ISFJs are creatures of habit, but high-achievers nonetheless. Running is the perfect exercise for you, because it allows you to master and perfect your technique while also improving your endurance. You may even enjoy running the same paths again and again, so you can tune out the world as you get into shape.” Running is in no way out of my comfort zone because I do it every other day, and didn’t I say that I’m a creature of habit? It’s like I’m psychic or something. I really enjoy running because I can watch TV or put on a podcast, and the time goes by really quickly. I ran three miles on the treadmill, did a quick ab workout, and then called it a day.
Outfit
I consulted Truity on what ISFJ fashion sense is like. It’s very similar to Virgo style in that it’s classic and traditional, but ISFJ style is definitely more conservative. Truity says, “For ISFJs, tradition matters. They tend to be grounded and fairly conventional in their way of life and way of dressing. ISFJs seek to dress in a conscientious way, making sure not to cause any gossip or outrage.” I kind of expected this because ISFJs are really shy and humble, so I didn’t think I’d be breaking out the neons and tube tops. Today I picked out this navy blue cropped polo that I upcycled from a uniform, these (wrinkled) paper bag shorts from Marshall’s, and this simple silver necklace that my mom got me for Christmas. I was trying to channel a more preppy look, but I think a more “ISFJ” outfit would’ve included dressy pants and a blazer. However, it’s still hot outside when I’m writing this, so I stuck with a pair of classic shorts. I like this outfit a lot, and it’s not something I’ve worn all together before. This will definitely be going on my rotation from now on.
Hair
I’m pretty sure you were expecting this, but now it’s time to do my hair. According to Elite Daily, “A modern milkmaid braid moment is super fitting for you, ISFJ. It's soft and sweet, just like you are.” I had no clue what a milkmaid braid was before this, and I had to watch many YouTube tutorials to figure out how to get my hair to look like that. Despite how cute this hairstyle looks, my hair isn’t quite cut out to do the fancy one pictured on the left. I got a haircut a week before writing this post, so my hair is shorter with a lot more layers, which made for a slightly disastrous braiding situation. Instead of braiding all of my hair, I only braided small sections in the front to make it look like a braided headband. I think it’s a pretty cute take on the milkmaid braid, but I don’t think I’ll be doing this hairstyle too often because it’s not the most flattering on my face shape.
Makeup
I think we know how I usually do my makeup by now: I don’t wear any. Given the outfit, I wasn’t expecting any smokey eyes or bold lipsticks, and I was right. Lucky me. Elite Daily says, “You have a big, warm heart, ISFJ. A romantic and soft look will allow you to wear it on your sleeve. Baby pinks and champagne hues were practically made for you.” You’ve seen this palette a little too many times now, but this is the Lamora Exposed Nudes palette. I stuck with the light pink and shimmery shades, so I put Champagne in my inner corner, Mauve on my lid, and Pearly on my upper lash line for that ~shimmer~. I just finished off like I always do, with Maybelline mascara and lip balm. This isn’t anything too different from what I normally do, and I really liked the way the colors look together.
Music
With this one I was hoping for something more in my comfort zone, and I was expecting some lo-fi, soft pop, or indie music. Instead, 16 Personalities said that I would like religious music. “Defenders may identify with the sense of tradition and order that comes from religious music. Moreover, the natural humility of Defenders may make the outlandish posturing of so many popular performers – the self-promotion that is often as much a marketing decision as it is a facet of the artist’s own personality – seem even more ridiculous and discordant than it does for most.” Well, I’m not religious and never have been (I just wasn’t raised religious), so I’ve definitely never listened to any sort of religious music. I just used Spotify’s Christian Hits playlist because it had a lot of followers, so people must like it, right? I thought the melodies were really nice, but I don’t think I would ever listen to the playlist again because I don’t personally resonate with the meaning of the music.
Snack
I was feeling a bit hungry, so I consulted Spoon University for what I should snack on. This article focused on what food combo I am, and it said “Your day-to-day living skills are so strong that your home, likely, is quite welcoming to many. As one who likes to provide and please, cinnamon and sugar provides a flavor that appeals to many. Once someone enters your home and smells fresh cinnamon buns or snickerdoodles being made in the oven, they’ll feel right at home.” It mentioned snickerdoodles, which I haven’t had in forever, so I wanted to try and make them again. I used this recipe for a single-serving snickerdoodle from Foodie Fiasco, and verdict: delicious. It was a relatively cakey cookie, but it was nice and crunchy on the outside because of the cinnamon sugar coating. Though they aren’t my favorite cookies (love you oatmeal raisin), you can never go wrong with a good snickerdoodle.
What To Do
I was getting a lil bored on this fine day, so I wanted to find some ways to relieve my boredom. According to a Psychology Junkie article about calming activities for each MBTI, here are some things I should do:
“Meditate or pray. Focus on deep breathing, calming your mind, and relaxing each muscle. Here you can find some quick visualization techniques that can help you to relax.”
“Create a “feel-good” collage that you fill with pictures of great memories, inspirational quotes, or activities you can’t wait to experience someday. You could paste on pictures of your friends, favorite animals, or memorabilia that gives you a sense of comfort.”
“Journal your feelings. Sometimes it can be hard to sort out your feelings internally, but if you’re able to write them down you can process them more productively. This can help you feel calmer and more able to handle whatever life hurls your way.”
I’ve never tried meditation before, but before volleyball games freshman year our coach made us stand in a circle and visualize for a minute. A few times a month, our school psychologist would also come onto the loudspeaker and do meditation with us, but everyone either tried to take a 5-minute nap or did homework. Safe to say that no one I know visualized themselves as a butterfly. Those were quite some interesting memories, but I decided to give meditation a real shot. I used this 5-minute meditation video, and I didn’t really feel any different after. It was nice to close my eyes and only focus on breathing, but it didn’t make too big of an impact on me. Maybe I’m doing it wrong, but I don’t think I’ll be incorporating meditation into my routine.
After getting in the zone, I decided to make a collage. I actually made two (overachieving, I know): one was a photo of all of my friends and family, and another was a cute ~aesthetic~ one. I’m not going to share the more personal one, but I think the second one would be a good computer wallpaper or something like that. It’s essentially a vision board of what my dream lifestyle would look like: the places I want to go, the relationships I want to have, and the life I want to live. To make these collages, I went on my phone/Canva, found some pictures I liked, and then chose a collage template from Canva. You can just look up “collage” in their search bar, and you’ll find all sorts of awesome templates that you can simply insert pictures into. I’m really happy with the way these turned out, and it was nice to look back through old photos and be reminded of all of those good memories. If I ever get into the Law of Attraction and manifestation, I will be looking at these every day. Meanwhile, they’ll be something cute on my computer. Feel free to use the Pinterest-y collage for yourself -- you can take a screenshot or send me a message, and I can send you the image file.
Finally, I decided to do some journaling. I explain this in my journaling post, but I journal a few times a week, and it’s been something I’ve been doing steadily since 2020 began. Honestly, since I started this blog it’s felt like I’ve journaled every day because I’m constantly pouring out my thoughts into these posts, but I was nice to write down some of the day’s little victories, a few things I’m grateful for, and what I’ve learned recently.
To Do Before Bed
It was getting late, and according to Brit, I should spend my time before bed watching Netflix. “Just because this personality is practical and down to earth doesn’t mean they’re not nostalgic and sensitive — that’s why Netflix (or Hulu!) is the perfect way for the ISFJ to zone out after a long day. Don’t be surprised if your ISFJ pal is curled up on the couch with a cozy blanket, a box of tissues, and the latest episode of This Is Us.” I decided to watch a few episodes of On My Block (love it!!) before calling it a night. Very cozy and relaxing.
Sleep
Time to hit the hay. Regarding pre-bed habits, an article from Verily said, “Definitely keep your bedroom screen-free, and if you haven’t already, decorate it with photos of people that you love—so when you go to bed you’re reminded of the joy they bring you. As you go to sleep, try and think about all the little things you’re grateful for.” I have a bunch of photos of my friends and I around my room, so I took a nice look at them tonight. I also definitely need to work on not looking at a screen right before bed, so about half an hour before going to sleep I put my computer away and just played my ukulele. I was feeling inspired, so I wrote a new song. I literally have no clue where it came from because one, I was planning on writing about envy, not love, and two, I have never experienced anything close to this before. Regardless, here's the song. Please excuse the wack ukulele. Here's what I wrote down when I came up with the idea for this song: "POV: you haven’t spoken to your high school sweetheart since they dumped you almost four years ago, but you miss them, so you call them and leave a message". Odd, but it's one of the first full originals I've shared in public, so enjoy.
After some time screen-free, I got into bed ready to turn in for the night. That’s all for this post, and hope you all thought it was as fun as I did! Have a good one!
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