I am increasingly more convinced that self-discovery is both incredibly important and uncomfortable. The Enneagram has become a treasured tool to me throughout my journey to self-discovery.
I resonate with the idea of self-discovery because the word discovery makes me think of going on a journey. Learning more about myself and others through studying the Enneagram has felt like a journey to me. I started looking into the Enneagram a little over a year ago, and it has been amazing to see all the ways God has used it in my life and others to help his children grow and mature.
The Enneagram is an ancient personality typing system that is unlike any other personality typing system that I have come across. What stands out about the Enneagram to me is that it distinguishes between types primarily by understanding the different motivations of people. Before exploring the Enneagram, I had hardly thought about the motivations of people or considered that I had a core motivation. I knew what I wanted to be motivated by more than I knew what was actually motivating me.
The good and the bad
It has been both fun and challenging for me to embrace the wisdom of the Enneagram. It has been fun for me because I am a person that is motivated by improvement and growth, and I believe that the Enneagram is a super useful tool for spiritual transformation and growth.
It is exciting for me to look back on the past year and to see the good the Lord has accomplished in my life through the Enneagram. I have grown in admitting and dealing with my anger, and in understanding where it comes from. I have become more empathetic toward others, and I have been able to see more clearly the lies that I believe that keep me from living freely and fully.
My journey toward self-discovery has been challenging because it is impossible to grow in self knowledge without seeing things in yourself that you’d rather not see. The Enneagram does a good job of showing how your strengths can also be your weaknesses.
Unlike a lot of personality typing systems, it recognizes and deals with the fact that all people have gone their own way. Admitting and dealing with my anger has been good for me, but it has also been embarrassing and uncomfortable for me. What I love and hate about the Enneagram is that it exposes people by communicating motivations that most people would never articulate about themselves.
The steps in the journey
My journey with the Enneagram started with my older sister messaging me on Facebook to tell me to listen to a two hour podcast describing all the types. After I followed her first request, I had narrowed myself down to a few types.
I went to the website she recommended and took an online test that told me that I was most likely the one type or the three type with a four wing. I read the detailed descriptions of the types on the Enneagram Institute for further clarification and determined that I was definitely the one type.
During premarital counseling, my pastor recommended looking at the Enneagram for wisdom in our marriage, and it has been beautiful to see the fruit of exploring it together. Discussing it with my husband, Jon, made me more motivated to share it with others.
During premarital counseling, I learned about the book, The Road Back to You, which explains the Enneagram through a Christian perspective. I started listening to The Road Back to You podcast and now lead a young women’s group study on the book every other week. It has been a pretty spectacular journey so far.
I know that everyone’s journey to self-discovery is going to be different, but we all need helpful tools along the way. God has been gracious to me throughout the journey, and I am grateful that he introduced me to the Enneagram when he did. The hard work has truly been a blessing to me, and I know that I still have a lot to learn.
Each new discovery has led me closer to the Lord and to those in my life.