- Extraversion: ESFJs gain energy from interacting with other people. They are typically described as outgoing and gregarious.
- Sensing: ESFJs are more focused on the present than on the future. They are interested in concrete, immediate details rather than abstract or theoretical information.
- Feeling: ESFJs tend to make decisions based on personal feeling, emotions and concern for others. They tend to think more about the personal impact of a decision rather than considering objective criteria.
- Judging: ESFJs are organized and like to plan things out in advance. Planning helps people with this personality type feel more in control of the world around them.
None of this is incredibly surprising to me. One of my adviser's main complaints about my writing style when working on my thesis was my tendency to look at small details rather than the bigger abstract picture (see "sensing," above). And has anyone who has ever met me thought I wasn't an extrovert? Come on. Other than those first 2 weeks of knowing me (I may be an extrovert, but I am also pretty shy), you couldn't get me to stop talking.
This week I had the unfortunate pleasure of wrestling with the most frustrating part of my personality: the S-F combination. From the S-side, I see details as hard, concrete facts. I can easily look at a situation and know what needs to be done. From the F-side, I am very swayed by emotions. The problem comes when a decision must be made, and the details say something different than the feelings.
Long story short, I adopted a cat this week. And not just any cat. A snuggly, affectionate, loving, quirky cat that just truly won my heart with his constant following me around, sitting in my lap, and meowing at me when he has something on his mind (or he just wants to meow...don't really know. But he really loves to meow at me). But he also is sick. He has this nasty habit of vomiting at least once a day. And we're not talking hairballs, we're talking the consistency of, say, spit-up...except more volume and browner. The people at the shelter didn't know what was causing it, exactly.
So, for a full week, I had all of the data and also all of the feelings. The full week after I picked him out and before I brought him home (the shelter wanted to check my references?), my S wrestled with the F. "He vomits, and it's gross," the S would say. "But, he sat in your lap and snuggled, what other cat would ever do that?," replied the F. "Do you really want to be cleaning up cat vomit for an extended period of time?" - S. "The shelter lady said it might just be stress and bringing him home could make him BETTER!" - F.
So for a week I brooded and also sprouted 2 new gray hairs (greeeeeat...bringing my total up to 3). If I didn't take him home at all, I wouldn't get attached to a sick cat (S). And I wouldn't have to clean up cat puke (S). But I also wouldn't be giving him the chance to get better if he was just a nervous puker while at the shelter (F).
He's home with me. But the shelter has been very open with me, and said that if he doesn't improve they would take him back. Which is totally lame, but I mean I don't want to live with the constant fear of something I own getting covered in gross cat vomit. This could potentially be something that persists for his entire life (15ish YEARS).
I've done my best to make his life with me stress-free. I will take him to a vet and see if it isn't just some easily treatable bacterial infection that they missed while giving him a check-up at the shelter. It's only been 3 days, so too soon to tell whether or not he's improving. But, he has been vomit-free for 30 hours now! It's his longest streak since being at my house! I have also fallen in love with him.
Worst-case scenario:
After a few weeks of non-improvement and a stumped vet, the S will insist on bringing him back. The F will fight to keep this adorable kitty that has come into my life, to make it a little bit snugglier. I mean, he is SO SNUGGLY.
Sorry for the lack of pictures, guys. I don't want you to get too attached just in case. If I can keep him, I'll become the crazy lady who uploads cat pictures to facebook/instagram/this blog constantly. Until then, just imagine a cute 2-year-old cat with black fur and a white neck/nose/paws. He looks like he's wearing a little tuxedo. And is currently giving himself a bath on the couch. He will probably jump up and sleep with me like he did last night.
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