Enneagram (and Homemaking)

Hi, I’m Stacy. I’m a 1wing2 on the Enneagram. If you’ve got ZERO idea what that means, let me help out. The Enneagram (or enneagram types) is a personality typing “system.”

The Enneagram of Personality, or simply the Enneagram, is a model of the human psyche which is principally understood and taught as a typology of nine interconnected personality types.

—Wikipedia

I went kicking and screaming into this whole thing – I don’t really like personality typing. In the past, I’ve thought it was crazy stupid and why on earth would I want to be “labeled.” But friends, I have to tell you, knowing my Enneagram type has given me SO MUCH FREEDOM. Learning more about myself gives freedom to be the best version of me, but also, and probably more importantly, freedom to work to UNDERSTAND OTHERS.

Did you catch that?

I used to have the hardest time understanding why my friends would do certain things or react in a certain manner. They’d do something where I’d react, “I would NEVER do such a thing…” But then I’d see them able to do things I didn’t have the capacity to do.

It’s all because God made every single one of us different. I can understand my type 8 friends a lot better now, and respect their decisions, because I know they’re just wired differently than I am. <3 I better understand my husband and better understand my tween. I can understand the ladies I work with. Now I get why certain people are quiet and others are loud. 

It. All. Makes. Sense. 

I got most of my “education” on the subject from The Road Back to You. It’s such an amazing book, and you should totally read it, but I’ll also include additional resources for you at the end.

When I first tried to find my enneagram type, I took a free online test. I mis-typed myself as a 6wing5 which is the most common enneagram personality – because it says they’re funny. But when I read the book, I knew WITHOUT PAUSE that I was a 1: the perfectionist.

Enneagram 1s:

• Live with a powerful inner critic that monitors their own thoughts, words and deeds.
• Strive for perfection and feel responsible for making things right.
• Focus on being good while repressing their impulses and desires for pleasure.
• Get angry when important rules and standards are ignored or violated.
• Seek love and approval from others by being good and right.

That’s me – knowing yourself really helps you have patience and and understanding for others. When you get frustrated, it helps you pause and think: you know, they’re doing the best they can, just like me. And I likely annoy the heck out of them. 😉

We’re all different…and that’s okay.

In the past, I’ve had a difficult time identifying with and understanding a certain number (which I won’t name here) enneagram type. They really set me off – pet peeves, if you will. They don’t operate likes 1s. Now, I choose to think that they mean what they’re saying and doing to the BEST that they know how. And maybe they’re not operating from a place of emotional health (because hello, I can really throw some 1 temper tantrums when things “mess up”).

It helps me answer gently. It also helps me be kind. And it helps me realize that God was crazy creative in the way he made us all. 

I would highly suggest you check out the book, The Road Back to You. And you might even be interested in:

• The Road Back to You Podcast
• @enneagramandcoffee on Instagram

There are tons and tons of resources for learning about the enneagram once you start looking. 🙂 

If you’ve taken the tests/read the book – what’s your enneagram number?!