So, an #ENFP walks into a grocery store...

My husband (an ISTJ) does the grocery shopping for obvious reasons like: he doesn't get distracted by colors and pretty wine labels. He's an efficient shopping machine, plowing through the aisles, placing Only The Necessary Items in his cart with single-minded purpose.

I go to the grocery store for The Experience. Oh, yes. Didn't you know? Experience Shopping is totes a thing. 

An ENFP wanders into a grocery store and she sort of flits through the aisles, picking up random items--oooh! what is cranberry chutney?!--and putting it in her cart for no other reason than It Looks Cute.

An ENFP stops to sniff All The Flowers on display, to remark on the varying colors! textures! arrangements! and is that grosgrain ribbon you're using to tie up those peonies? BRILLIANT!

This is why, probably, my husband has taken over the grocery shopping. Because no matter how many times he'd send me to the store with a carefully organized SPREADSHEET of Things We Actually Need I'd come home bearing bushels of organic walnuts. Or a pony.

Last week, I tagged along with him to the grocery store. I was like one of the kids: he had to keep looking over his shoulder and telling me to catch up, come on now, put-down-that-bag-of-cheese-puffs-we-don't-need-that!

And then I saw a neighbor who is expecting her second baby and so, of course, I had to stop and chat and remark upon her cute baby-bump and ask all the pertinent questions like: is it a boy or girl? You're still wearing heels? YOU LOOK SO ADORABLE!

Because DUH! Talking with people is what ENFPs do. This is WHY we go to the grocery store. To chat. To make connections. To have an experience.

(BUT! Since I'm trying to become a Mature ENFP, I'm also learning to respect that for Some People it's all SERIOUS BUSINESS at the grocery store. Apparently. Whatever.)

While I was chatting with my neighbor, my husband had plowed ahead and was manhandling baby carrots in the produce aisle. I skipped to catch up to him and he was chuckling.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"You," he said. "You're so much fun. You make me happy. Sometimes I forget life isn't just about getting the job done."

[INSERT BIG UPDATE ON OUR MARRIAGE: last year could easily be considered The Worst Year of Our Marriage by which I mean surviving cult + twins + bad economy finally caught up to us and=hard times. Definitely the FOR WORSE part of ye olde marriage vows. This is also to say that marital counseling works if BOTH people are committed to it (and if they are compatible in many ways and if they WANT it to work and also a lot of other reasons). But mainly, understanding AND appreciating our HIGHLY DIFFERENT personality types has helped tremendously. Which is to say, I no longer take it personally that he's an ISTJ and he no longer takes it personally that I am an ENFP. Point: our marriage didn't start working again because of some magical, religious formula. Our marriage started working again because we started appreciating each other's unique personality strengths and taking responsibility for our own shit. Period. END UPDATE]. And all the people said amen.

P.S. This is what my husband looks like (hot, right?):

Aaaaaaaand back to the grocery store:

"Oooh! Look! Greek yogurt!" I said and pranced off to the dairy section. But not before sampling my way through the Quinoa tasting bar, snagging a box of cookies and retrieving some kid's dropped candy off the floor. Because ENFP.

Sometimes I honestly don't know how I managed to give birth to five kids, keep them all clothed and fed AND make sure they pull in awesome grades at school. Oh, wait. I know how! FUN! (Also, being married to an ISTJ).

I tell stories. Sing songs. Build forts. Teach writing--because writing is fun!

Even when I WAS doing all the family grocery shopping, I had fun with my kids. I mean, I am the woman who bursts into songs about TURKEY! STUFFIN'! PUNKIN PIIEEE! right in the middle of the paper goods aisle. Believe me, kids love that shit.

Which is to say, grocery shopping with an ENFP might take forever. But as long as you have an ISTJ to keep you on track, it will definitely be a Fun Experience.

(You should come with me to the post office sometime. I've been known to yodel there.)

It's the 70th anniversary of Myers-Briggs. Check out the party and tell me YOUR personality type!