A friend of mine posted on social media about the Enneagram last week. It felt like such a gift to take a coffee break and focus on something besides homeschooling the kids and where we are on the “curve.”
My love for assessments started with the CliftonStrengths. It was the first glimpse for me of why we do what we do. CliftonStrengths will now allow you to see all 35 strengths in order, so of course, I went right to the bottom of the list. My worst strength (is that a thing?) is individualization, meaning I have no idea why you are doing what you are doing.
The Enneagram is the literal Holy Grail for those of us who lack individualization, and during these trying times can help us to understand better why we are reacting one way, and our loved ones are responding differently.
For example, when my friend mentioned that she was going to have someone stop by that she hadn’t seen in years, I sent an emoji of a fire extinguisher, exemplifying the complete panic I would be experiencing. My friend texted me a picture of a cat with a TV remote. When I looked at our stress arrows, my number in stress goes to “pull your life together” mode, while my friend goes total, “I feel nothing.” She was having a heart attack. Her heart attack just looked different than mine.
So if you are running around buying toilet paper, and your friend has yet to go to the grocery store, it may be that your Enneagram Stress arrows head to different points.
You can get started by taking a free Enneagram Test from “Your Enneagram Coach.” They have a great book with different resources on the Enneagram and how it impacts your marriage. The Road Back to You is another excellent place to start reading. You can also check out the Enneagram Institute Website. I love the resource here that allows you to check out different relationship combinations. I have found this area to be helpful even in how I relate to various friends. We can have more authentic relationships when we better understand each other, and then together, we can be the best versions of ourselves.
Take some of your margin to check out the Enneagram. I believe it will improve your interactions with the people you care about and, with honest reflection, can help you stop and realign when life gets a little off. It’s helped me during this time of quarantine because when I see myself go to my stress arrow, it’s a good indication that I am holding too tightly and have an opportunity to choose to trust God more.
We are going to be stuck together for a few more weeks. Let’s take the time to figure why we do what we do, and how we can be our best.
HLLF,
end
Let’s take a break for the madness all around us and grab a reprieve. A friend of mine posted on social media about the Enneagram last week, and it felt like such a gift to take a coffee break and focus on something besides homeschooling the kids and where we are on the “curve.”
The Enneagram has been hot for a while, but if you haven’t checked it out! Try it on for size!
My love for assessments started with the CliftonStrengths. When I looked through my entire list, my worst strength (is that a thing?), what I “least do best naturally” is individualization, meaning I have no idea why you are doing what you are doing, so much so that my husband and I have nearly the same CliftonStrengths and the same Enneagram Number. I married myself because I finally found someone I could understand…but I digress.
The Enneagram is the literal Holy Grail for those of us who lack individualization. For example, when my friend mentioned that she was going to have someone stop by that she hadn’t seen in years, I sent an emoji of a fire extinguisher, exemplifying the complete panic I would be experiencing. My friend texted me a picture of a cat with a TV remote. I was so confused. When I looked at our stress arrows, my number in stress goes to “pull my life together” mode, while my friend goes total, “I feel nothing.” She was having a heart attack. Her heart attack just looked different than mine.
When I took my first assessment, I was hooked. Goodbye lack of individualization, hello Enneagram Institute.
The Road Back to You is a great place to start. Especially during this time where we are all reacting to circumstances so differently, it allows us to experience it together with a greater understanding of why the people we love are acting in different ways.
Rather than the typical, “That’s Sally, she has three kids and is a nurse.” It allows us to see each other as Helpers, Perfectionists, Challengers, Loyalists, and Achievers. We can know each other better, and we can find understanding because we recognize how they view the world.
I believe that we can have more authentic relationships when we better understand each other, and then together, we can be the best version of ourselves. Even when I know my friends well, the Enneagram helps us to understand each other’s undercurrents.
What are some resources that you can use to get started?
–Take the Free Enneagram Test from Your Enneagram Coach
–Check out the Enneagram Institute Website
This Enneagram thing is a big deal. I believe it will improve your interactions with the people you care about and, with honest reflection, can help you stop and realign when life gets a little off. It’s helped me during this time of quarantine because when I see myself go to my stress arrow, it’s a good indication that I am holding too tightly and have an opportunity to choose to trust God more.
We are going to be ourselves our whole life. It’s worth the time to consider how to be our best.
