This manual is part of
a series of guides originated by @intpboard!
Congratulations! You have come under the
care of your very own ISFJ unit, probably because you needed help with a task
and they needed an excuse to procrastinate. They have offered you this manual in a simple
attempt to assist you. You should be
pleased that they have chosen you to benefit from their helpful nature!
Your ISFJ unit will
come equipped with the following accessories:
One (1) large cup of
coffee (refillable)
Four (4) extra jackets
to give you if you are cold
Two (2) semi-fancy
outfits
Three (3) casual
outfits, one of which they strongly prefer
One (1) calendar to
keep track of important dates
One (1) coffeepot, for
refilling coffee cup
Three (3) grandiose,
altruistic life paths
One (1) large dog
Infinite (∞) support,
patience, work ethic, and enthusiasm
Software:
Your ISFJ will come
preprogrammed with the following traits:
Si: Your ISFJ will often be
preoccupied with thoughts about the world and people around them, and may zone
out during these times. Don’t be alarmed
– this is normal. They are just gathering
information about their surroundings, processing their impressions, and filing
everything away in the proper place.
Disturbing them during this process will often result in blank stares
and confusion.
Fe: This
trait is activated only when necessary, following the processing phase. After your ISFJ has
updated with the gathered information, you will find them very interactive, friendly,
and helpful! They contain a special chip which makes them particularly intuitive
and responsive to all your feelings and needs, as well as overly willing to
assist you in anything you may need.
Ti: Occasionally,
instead of Fe following the processing phase, your ISFJ will need to withdraw
and spend time deeply analyzing the information gained. This trait allows them to balance their
people pleasing side with their analytical side.
Ne: The
weakest trait of the ISFJ, Ne works with Fe to prod the ISFJ into trying new
things. It is also responsible for their
occasional bursts of creative ideas and plans!
However, it is only able to activated for fleeting periods of time;
pushing an ISFJ too far out of their comfort zone for too long will cause them
to revert to the withdrawn, silent behavior that characterizes their original
information-gathering mode.
Getting Started:
When you first start up your ISFJ, do not be alarmed by
their silence! The first stage of ISFJ programming requires distant
observation, which allows them to gather information about their surroundings!
1. Place included cup of coffee in your ISFJ’s hand.
2. Set them on a bench
in a busy location.
3. Allow your ISFJ to
charge by observing details about the situation.
4. If step 3 does not
work, place included dog on leash and hand leash to ISFJ; Fe mode should
trigger when ISFJ is approached about dog.
5. If your ISFJ still
doesn’t start, announce a task with which you need assistance.
Modes:
Selfless Giver
(default) – In this mode, ISFJs
will jump at any opportunity to help others, regardless of their own schedule
or plans. They will never complain about
this type of service. Even if they do
not want to help you, they will – regardless of any inconvenience it may cause
them. Taking advantage of this mode too
often will result in an unhealthy ISFJ that will shut down in response to
future requests.
Nature Lover - Activated when outside
in nature settings. ISFJs love nature,
particularly the solitude and silence they can find there. This allows them to process information
without the interference of additional information. They are likely to bring you outside with
them, in an effort to help you silence your mind as well – even if this is not
your idea of fun, please be patient.
They are just trying to help you.
Humble - Activated in response
to any type of praise. ISFJs prefer to
downplay their own accomplishments, as they are uncomfortable with overwhelming
praise. This often results in their successes
being claimed by others, which upsets the balance of the ISFJ and often
triggers Clowning mode to hide anger and disappointment.
Observer - Activated in busy situations/places.
Your ISFJ will be content to sit back and watch the action around them. Although they will be lightly conversational,
attempting to engage them more deeply will not be successful – they are too
busy processing their surroundings.
Clowning - ISFJs are prone to
self-deprecating jokes. They use this as a defense mechanism to hide their
emotions. A shield of laughter is the best defense of all! To this end, they
also find joy in puns, wordplay, and any unique jokes. Their sense of humor
never ceases to surprise, so try not to be taken aback! Activated most often around NF units.
Relationships with
other units:
NFs: ISFJs have very close
relationships with NFs, because they are both concerned with the care and
well-being of the other. The ISFJ also
often balances the NF, who prefers an “outside the box” way of thinking to the
more traditional views of the ISFJ. NFs
can also be too demanding of the ISFJ – they need to know when to let up or
they will burnout their ISFJ unit.
NTs: NTs have a very
strong drive and work ethic that the ISFJ greatly admires; in return, the NT
admires the way ISFJs care so deeply for others. This is a relationship that can produce a lot
of mutual respect. However, NTs are far
more logical than ISFJs, who are more focused on emotions, and this can cause
friction.
SJs: ISFJs get along very
well with other SJs. They are both
responsible and trustworthy, as well as equally willing to take care of one
another. This creates a nurturing
environment for the ISFJ that is very important for their health and security.
SPs: SPs are fun loving
and carefree, capable of assisting an ISFJ with big plans, ideas, or
experiences triggered by the Fe trait.
However, the SP must recognize that the ISFJ has a limit and be
respectful of that – if not, their wild, impetuous nature can quickly wear down
an ISFJ.
Feeding:
When busy, an ISFJ will
often forget that food is necessary.
This is especially true when engrossed in a project that will help
others or while bringing one of their ideas/adventures to life. To properly care for an ISFJ, you must feed
them at least once a day. If they are
resistant to stopping long enough to eat, tell them you are feeling hungry and allow
them the option of preparing (or paying for) the meal – their overly kind
nature will override their natural enthusiasm for work and in making sure you
are fed, they will feed themselves as well.
Grooming:
Your ISFJ will groom on
a regular basis, as it never knows when it will be called away to help someone
else. They will always keep themselves
clean and their appearance tidy – they never want to call too much attention to
themselves, so they groom and dress in a way that allows them to blend in. You will not need to monitor this function
for your unit, and you should leave it to the ISFJ to take care of at all
times; insinuating that your ISFJ is untidy in any way will cause them to feel
offended and could result in total shut down until you apologize.
Sleeping:
Your ISFJ unit will
sleep regularly, as being well rested is necessary to support the enthusiasm
with which they approach their day (whether their day is at school, at work, or
being with others). Despite this, they
often need naps or a large amount of caffeine to keep running in Selfless Giver
mode – this mode drains their energy very quickly.
Frequently Asked
Questions:
How do I get my ISFJ to
relax and take a break?
You don’t! ISFJ’s are not capable of “relaxing” in the
traditional sense. During their dormant
periods, their brains are still rapidly processing and filing information. The word “relax” is foreign to them and will
confuse them if mentioned too often.
Help! I lost my ISFJ!
Don’t worry! ISFJs often need a break to recharge by going
into one of the aforementioned dormant periods.
They will reappear shortly! If it
has been more than three hours, brew a pot of coffee and wait. The smell of coffee should bring your ISFJ
out of dormancy.
My ISFJ does not like
to try new things? What do I do?
ISFJ units come with a
preinstalled love of habit and familiarity.
Attempting to change too much at once can lead to a complete crash if
you are not careful! To deal with this,
introduce your ISFJ to new situations, places, and people very gently. Be patient and they will adjust in time. Their Fe and Ne traits will also occasionally
activate and push them into trying something new – make sure you take their
lead and do not over stimulate them.
This will cause them to withdraw into dormancy and will require
additional coffee to fix.
Again, congratulations
on your newly acquired ISFJ helper unit!
(Thank you to @effervescience for all of her help in researching and writing this guide! <3)