My Enneagram Type

Here’s my response to one of the journal prompts from my last post!

What is your Enneagram type? Does it accurately describe you?

Before I begin my response, here is a brief explanation of what an Enneagram is:

An Enneagram is a categorization system that describes human personality as a number of interconnected personality types. In simpler terms, the Enneagram number represents nine different personality types. According to verywellmind.com, “each of the nine personality types is characterized by a set of dominant behaviors, motivations, and fears.” Understanding your Enneagram type can help you realize your strengths and also weaknesses. It can also help you create successful personal and professional relationships.

To find out my Enneagram type, I took the Enneagram Personality Test created by Truity. The test can be found here. After the test, I learned I matched best with Type 2. Psychology Today describes Enneagram Type 2 as the “Helper,” saying their focus is to “take care of others needs in an effort to feel loved and accepted. They are generous, empathetic and can be very humble.” Those who identify as Enneagram Type 2 are also described as people-pleasing, a good listener, empathetic, sincere, friendly, someone who often overlooks their own needs, and someone who has a strong desire to be loved.

The personality traits of Enneagram Type 2 perfectly describe me. I’m always looking for ways to help people, I’m understanding, and I am definitely a people-pleaser. I always have a hard time saying no! I give and give and give to the people I love, and I always put the needs of others before mine. I have a hard time asking others for help (partly because I want people to be like me – helpful because they want to be, not because I’m asking them to). Sometimes people don’t thank me for my help and don’t appreciate my thoughtfulness because that’s what they’re used to from me. I hate feeling like I’m taken for granted. A simple “thank you” or “I appreciate you” goes a long way.

Enneagram Type 2s are described as having trouble acknowledging their own needs. When my own needs are pushed aside for too long, I tend to become irritable. Something I have trouble accepting is that not everyone is like me – I need to ask for help when I need it and understand that people aren’t mind readers. If I don’t communicate my needs, I have no one to blame but myself when they aren’t met.

I love being helpful and doing things for people that I know will make them smile. I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember. I’m very in tune with the needs of other people and I try to meet those needs. I go out of my way to make sure the people in my life feel loved and appreciated.

A piece of advice for Enneagram Type 2 is to set boundaries in order to focus on their own needs. I discussed in an earlier blog post about a book I want to read this year (Set Boundaries, Find Peace: a Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab). As I mentioned, I’m hoping that reading this book will help me set healthy boundaries. For example, I will ask for help before I’m overwhelmed or before it’s my last resort.

Other growth tips for Enneagram Type 2 include: