Personality Types

Look, guys! A post NOT about podcasts. Full disclosure, though, I learned about the Enneagram Institute while listening to a podcast interview of Nadia Bolz Weber, one of my favorite writers and theologians. I decided to look up what type I am, because... who doesn't love a Buzzfeed-type quiz? No quiz, but I read through the descriptions and discovered I'm a 6. Hm. How... average of me. With a few exceptions, the personality description is pretty spot-on.

YES!

• "they will defend their community or family more tenaciously than they will defend themselves." If you don't believe me, ask my kids.
• "they think--and worry--a lot!" Uh, hello. Have you read this blog?
• "[they] are always aware of their anxieties and are always looking for ways to construct “social security” bulwarks against them." Oh, the systems and strategies I have...
• Addictions: "Caffeine... for stamina, but also alcohol and depressants to deaden anxiety."

Not Really...

• Indecisive. I actually tend to make unilateral decisions a bit too often. Probably annoys the crap out of my husband. I've decided not to ask him, though.
• ..."'belief'... is difficult for Sixes to achieve." Nah, I'm good with trust, faith, convictions, and positions, as long as it doesn't have to do with having those things in myself.
• Fear of abandonment. Oh, gosh no. This independent introvert is cool with alone time.

The word that keeps jumping out at me in these descriptions, though, is "anxiety." That's my biggest challenge in life. If I could just tame it... Pharmaceuticals have helped tremendously, and I thank God every day that I live in a time and place where I have access to decent mental health care. I'm fully aware that not everyone can say that, and my heart goes out to those who struggle, like I do, with anxiety (and sometimes depression) but don't have the resources to alleviate it.

Now, I realize personality types are just a tad more scientific than zodiac signs, but I still love them. I'm also fascinated by the Myers Briggs personality types. I'm an INFJ (Introvert, INtuitive, Feeling, Judging). It's a rare personality type, supposedly, but I've met a lot of others who also fall into this category. This link takes you to some tests to determine which one you are.

Maybe some people don't like to be so easily pigeon-holed, but as my Enneagram personality type would attest, I like the certainty and security of knowing that a) I'm not alone; b) someone has figured me out (because I've yet to do so); and c) I'm not so weird, after all.

Well, maybe that last one is a bit of a stretch in my interpretation of the data.

Which Enneagram type do you think you are? Which parts of the description fit you best? Which parts aren't quite as relevant?