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Extremely conscious of our bodies?

[INFP] 
9K views 55 replies 55 participants last post by  Twoshoe 
#1 ·
I don't mean that we hate our bodies... although sometimes that is true too. I just mean being extremely aware of how unaware of how we look in public- The placement of your torso when you hug someone, shoulders slouched, legs against the seat of chair....
I am constantly uneasy about the placement of my body, I feel I am very unphotogenic because I always end of contorting my neck in some unflattering pose unintentionally.
Anyone feel this way, is this everybody, or does it connect to INFPs in particular.
Feel free to elaborate!
 
#2 ·
I think I can relate to this. Compared to my sister who's an SP, at least, I feel very aware of the placement of my body parts. Okay, that sounded weird, but what I meant was, example when I'm eating, I'm always aware of being very proper. Even when just hanging out with friends, I don't let loose 100%, I'm always conscious I guess. I don't immediately become comfortable as soon as I sit down, I have to try a couple of different positions.

I don't know where it stems from. I always envy people who can just carry being naturally slouchy and they seem so comfortable in their skin. Sometimes I feel like I'm utterly stiff and too conscious, especially when in public. I don't know if it's an INFP thing though! Probably has something to do with being insecure, or rooted issues in self-esteem, or wanting to project an image of elegance or appropriateness, or feeling like, "Shit, they're looking at me because my legs are spread too far apart even if I'm wearing jeans!"

Well it's not as neurotic as it sounds. Maybe I think about my position for less than a minute, but the point is, I still think about it. :)
 
#3 ·
i can totally relate. i feel that i always need to be aware of how my body looks in whatever position i'm in. sometimes to attract the males, but mostly to make sure i don't look awkward or larger than i am. i'm especially conscious of the way my legs look. i'm not so sure if this is strictly an INFP problem, but i'm sure there is some sort of relation.
 
#4 ·
I can def relate. I don't know how I come across to people.... so i will look in the mirror and try to adjust accordingly.... but if you just forget about it.... i think it looks best.... cause when you are self conscious .... it shows.... and it shows in the way you move .... the way you talk everything.... and that could cause a self fulfilling prophecy.
 
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#10 ·
cause when you are self conscious .... it shows.... and it shows in the way you move .... the way you talk everything.... and that could cause a self fulfilling prophecy.
This happenes to an INFJ friend of mine (in that lack of self-confidence and such would be present in how she presented herself physically and vocally, and there was a sense of her being uncensored physically also) I think (not nearly so much these days though), I wasn't sure how to communicate accross to her 'it's okay' or make her feel better, so I'd tell her not to slouch =/ which probably is counter-productive... (INF=bodytardation ISFP=wortardation)

As she seems to have gained confidence (I think she has anyway, she feels stronger), she's started coming out of herself physically a bit, talking in a more commanding manner.

It's sort've true for all I think, but the INFs strike me as particularly victim to being unaware of it.

For what it's worth, it penetrated my sympathy in a very safe way, - though it wasn't so good not knowing how to make it okay, - which can be a hard thing to do (the penetration thing) - aka, I think it makes people want to make you feel...good...and they feel a sense of you not being...malignant...I'm too lazy to find the right word...
 
#5 · (Edited)
At times, I experience this odd feeling where my eyes feel close-set in an awkward sort of way, and I wish they were set a little further apart-- not for appearance, but, strictly for comfort. When I look at myself in the mirror, my eyes do not appear to be too close-together. So, I am thinking it must be some sort of odd sensation that I experience from time to time. In some ways I am extremely conscious of my body like some gawky teen, but in other ways it is as if I have no concept of how I look at all. Some people have a clear image of what they look-like that they can recall. I do not have that.

In school, I took child development courses. One of the courses was about brain development in children. Most children do not develop a sense of memory or body-awareness, until age four or five. I found this peculiar, because I have many vivid memories from before the age of four. I also remember being concerned with my appearance before the age of four as well. I do not know if this has much to do with being an INFP, but, perhaps, the amount of time certain areas in the brain take to develop can influence personality development.
 
#6 ·
I'm not self-conscious about my body but I'm pretty aware of it all the time. I've been doing martial arts most my life and I've been dancing either at a club or partner dancing (lindy, argentine tango, blues dancing, ballroom, etc) every week for the last 18 years. That much body movement gets you really aware of your center of gravity and where all your limbs are at any given time. I also do photography so I know what my best angles are and in what kind of light.

One thing I have learned, people find you attractive if you move well no matter how unphotogenic you think you might be.
 
#7 ·
It depends. Sometimes I'm more unconfident with having company with myself. Sometimes it's hard to look myself in the mirror..
Usually I'm really unconfident in public, I mean.. in public concerts and etc. Toooo many people! I tend to compare myself with others.. :confused:
When I'm with my friends I'm usually confident. But sometimes it's really like when I'm smiling, I'm actually dying inside...
Yeah, it depends.. Someday I'm really big friend with myself, and the other day I'm not...

 
#9 ·
I Def relate to this i am always worried about the way my body position is
and i dont like my body most of the time, i feel i am fat and not pretty so i am always shy about the way i look
moreover i have big body figures so i am always shy and try to hide specially that men usually keep staring at me or at least i feel they are staring at me :confused:
 
#11 ·
I often feel like my body is in the way. I don't know how better to describe it. A lot of physical sensations bother me and the presence of my arms and legs sometimes annoy me.

I also feel awkward in pictures. My best pictures are candid because as soon as I see someone direct a camera at me, I immediately feel clumsy.
 
#12 ·
I am extremely conscious of my body and body language.

Sometimes I really don't know what to do with my limbs.
If I cross my legs when I'm talking to a guy, I get paranoid because I'm usually attracted to him, and I don't want him to instantly think that I am trying to seduce him.
If I cross my arms when standing in a public place, I'm paranoid that I'm giving the impression that I am uncomfortable.

Sometimes I spend hours just trying to find the right way to pose in pictures.
I grew up extremely overweight, and although I am still a little bit so, I don't want to look fatter than I already am.
(It's difficult when you can clearly recall your dad saying things along the lines of, "If you're fat in high school, you'll never have a boyfriend and no one will take you to prom.". Although I was only eight at the time and I'm out of HS now...it still stings.)
 
#13 ·
I am actually completely oblivious to most things going on with my body. ADHD to the max. I'm squirmy and it physically hurts to be in the same position for too long (more than about two minutes, ha).
 
#18 ·
I rarely have any idea how my facial expressions look to others. Watching myself talk to friends on Skype was a huge shock, because there were times when I felt like I was smiling, where I was sure I was, when my expression looked blank, and I had to force myself to make an uncomfortably tense smile just to express what I thought I was already expressing. In real life, I can't see myself, so I'm sure I probably look very dull most of the time unless I am trying very hard to exaggerate my expressions. When I take pictures of myself, I stand in front of a mirror so I can see what I am doing. I'm sure my natural body language is probably awkward, and I fidget a lot with my hands. When I have to avoid doing so for some reason, I fidget with my toes instead. I'm incapable of being perfectly still, except maybe when I'm sleeping.
 
#19 ·
i've always been somewhat conscious of my body, though i dont view that as an especially negative thing... or not a *necessarily* negative thing. it's resulted in a whole *lot* of thinking/studying how i move, how other people move, looking at myself in the mirror (that's kind of embarassing to admit :frustrating: ). so i tend to have a lot of very *conscious* movement, but i think it's maybe kind of a good thing. i can look how i want to look at various times.

not that i probably look like i move all that amazingly - i probably look like a dingbat. but i can live with that... i'd wondered for a while if it's at all noticable, and i guess maybe it is. it'd be nice if it *were* noticable, and, overall, *attractive*, but that's something people dont tend to tell you out of the blue. 's semi happened once with me, but considering who said it, i cant necessarily take their word :frustrating:

ps: it depends a lot on what i'm wearing, too - much easier to do when i'm wearing clothes i like, as opposed to... say, work clothes.
 
#21 ·
yeah! it's like i make myself hyperaware of how I look and act because naturally i'm kind of unaware of stuff. my natural tendency to not notice stuff combined with my self-consciousness makes me anxious and hyperaware....if that makes sense.
 
#22 ·
I tend not to know what to do with my hands. If I'm in a new and uncomfortable situation, I've noticed I tend to fold my hands in my lap. Once I notice, I feel very self conscious because I realize I must look oddly formal, but I don't know how else to position myself..:confused:
 
#23 ·
i have a close friend/roommate who always looks beautifully posed. she has thin long legs and a somewhat short torso that, i think, makes lounging positions so much more flattering. i too am very self conscious about my legs and always feel like they're too fat and inflexible. i would give anything for a pair of gams like hers...
 
#26 ·
I'm very conscious of the way I position my legs. I usually cross them, but I worry about which leg positions look the most and least attractive. I'm also conscious of the way I tend to slump my shoulders, making my chest look unflattering.

I'm very insecure about my body in general. I kind of detest my physical aspects. I also have a problem with the way my voice sounds.
 
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