Dating an ISFP personality type

The ISFP is one of the easiest to get along among the sixteen personality types enumerated by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Quiet, sensitive and friendly, ISFPs can make for pleasant partners and satisfying relationships. So if you are dating an ISFP, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Be gentle

ISFP men and women are partial to a gentle and easy-going kind of interaction. They tend to recoil from anything that is too dramatic or overwhelming for their sensitive natures. So when you are talking to your ISFP partner, make sure to use a gentle tone of voice and adopt a smooth, even-toned behavior. If you are used to over-expressive or strongly assertive gestures, tone them down just a little in order to make your partner feel comfortable, which in fact is quite important for them to be happy.

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Co-operate rather than compete

The ISFP’s partiality for all that is comfortable and pleasant is also evident in the way that they tend to avoid activities that are too competitive in nature. So instead of going mini-golfing on your date and seeing who rakes up the highest score, settle on activities like pottery-making which involve co-operation rather than competition. Alternately go for or a karaoke evening at a small place where you are likely to know most of the guests. ISFPs are turned off by big, faceless crowds and would much rather socialize on a one-to-one and personal basis.  Best of all, take your ISFP partner for a long moonlit walk in the park or a sunny drive in the countryside. They love all that is quiet, pretty to look at and feels pleasant to the senses. For the same reason avoid nightclubs and discos where the music is too loud and the crowd too wild.

Assure them of your support

While ISFPs get along with a wide variety of people, they tend to have only a small circle of friends who are close and dependable. The ability to count on a person’s support in times of need ranks very highly with ISFPs as far as qualities in a relationship are concerned. An ISFP partner will come close to you only when they are assured that you will be there for them and stand up them when they can’t themselves. So make sure that you reveal your supportive nature in day-to-day deeds or words. When your girlfriend calls you with car trouble, don’t give her the number of your mechanic but turn up in person to see if you can help. Likewise if your ISFP boyfriend has had a bad fight with his boss, be there with him to show you care and better still offer to massage his neck and shoulders. ISFPs tend to get discouraged rather quickly; so you may need to tell them how gifted or special they are when they doubt themselves which in fact may be quite often. These people like to be told how special and important they are to you and once they are assured of your emotional and practical support, they will love you the better.

Express your love in actions

Your ISFP partner would love it if you hug and cuddle them often. This is because ISFPs tend to put more emphasis on actions that express love and support instead of mere words. Similarly if you really want to impress your partner, bake a bunch of his favorite cookies or make a corner table for her with your carpentry tools. ISFPs highly appreciate unique and original gestures of love which you have thought up just for them. This also applies if you are wondering about the perfect gift for your ISFP lover. Things that have a pleasant appeal to the senses mostly make them very happy. They love flowers for instance and usually have a favorite kind. Again they are extremely partial towards soft fabrics so that scarves, rugs, throws, wraps and anything else that feel smooth and silky to touch are usually highly appreciated by them.

Be constant

ISFPs are likely to place a high premium on loyalty and commitment and avoid people who are flighty and unpredictable. This is evident from the fact that they are usually content with a small, but trusted circle of friends. Even though their pleasant and friendly natures, makes them exceedingly likable, ISFPs reveal their innermost thoughts and emotions only to very few who they know would not treat them lightly or make fun of. So if you want to have your ISFP partner for keeps, you need to assure them of your commitment and that you will be there for them whenever they need you. Conversely ISFPs make true-blue friends whose loyalty and supported can be counted on any time. So even though your ISFP partner may seem to be taking their time to make up their mind about you, have patience since once your partner feels certain about you, they are likely to stand by you throughout.

Give them their space

Even though ISFPs like human contact and social relationships, every now and then they need to remove themselves to a quiet place as a way of recharging their souls. This is because of their tendency to Introversion which makes it very important for ISFPs to be allowed their personal space. So once a while your ISFP partner might withdraw and like to do their own thing which may not include you. At such times, have patience and understand their need for independence; on the other hand if you get insecure and demand that they let you know what is going on, they might recoil at your assertiveness and even remove themselves, unnerved by your possessiveness. ISFPs usually go to great lengths to please their partner once they are certain that this is their soul-mate. So respect their need for some personal space and they will do the same for you. Above all, avoid bickering and fault-finding in your relationship; ISFPs dislike conflict and discord and feel happiest when they are surrounded by positivity.