Do you know you have gifts and strengths? Maybe no one has ever told you that, but I want you to know that you do.
It’s very easy when you start learning about yourself through the Enneagram to focus on the unhealthy aspects of your personality. Because part of identifying our type requires acknowledging our shadow side characteristics, it can be easy to spotlight our faults. When we allow our thoughts to hover around these we miss the point. It’s when we bring those negative traits into the light they begin to lose their power and we can begin to not only show ourselves grace, but others grace as well.
We can’t live in a scarcity mindset about ourselves or we stunt our personal growth and will give power over to those shadow side traits.
While it’s important to acknowledge where we our personality is unhealthy, it’s equally, if not more, important to live into our true self with an abundance mindset.
We have innate talents or gifts that we are born with. I’m not saying we are masters at these right out of the gate. We must learn to use them and refine them. We must learn to use them for the good of humanity. Whether raw or refined, we are all created with gifts and strengths.
For lack of a better word, our “personality,” also has strengths that when used in a healthy way can bring to the world.
Ones are detail oriented and good at creating processes and procedures. Ethical and responsible, they follow through on completing tasks.
Twos are positive, compassionate, and caring. They encourage and support others and are very service oriented.
Threes have a strong desire to achieve goals and are very task oriented which gives them an amazing ability to execute a plan and bring people together to accomplish that plan.
Fours are very sensitive to the feelings of others making them very accepting of others. They are discerning and emotionally intuitive and have a depth of creativity.
Fives are superstars are gathering information and analyzing and making sense of it. While independent, they are also humble and kind.
Sixes are excellent problem solvers and while some say they are worst case scenario thinkers when healthy this gives teams great insight when developing projects. Sixes are loyal team players.
Sevens bring so much joy and energy to their world. They are optimistic and excellent multitaskers and innovative.
Eights are confident and action-oriented. They are big picture thinkers who are able to empower and encourage others. Eights are also not afraid of conflict.
Nines are able to see all sides of a situation. They are friendly, encouraging, supportive of others and see the best in others. They want everyone to have a voice and can be great mediators.
I’ve spent most of my life living in a scarcity mindset when it came to my gifts and abilities. I’m so glad I’m flipping the script on that soundtrack that has followed me most of my life. My dream as a coach is to encourage others to know they have amazing strengths and gifts to share with those in their world. I’m very task oriented, but I’ve begun seeing my “task” as helping people feel seen, helping them discover their own superpowers, aka strengths & gifts, and help them to grow towards their highest potential with purpose and peace.
