I Am Enough – a weighted mantra for the Enneagram Type Two. Driven by connecting to other people, providing services, and self-sacrificing (on the extreme end of a lower developed Two), being “Enough” can seem like an ever-distant goal post of infinite tasks and performing roles in other people’s lives. The irony that a healthy Type Two needs to have a separate identity from others in order to connect is not lost on me (as very true type two)!

“However, Twos’ inner development may be limited by their “shadow side”—pride, self-deception, the tendency to become over-involved in the lives of others, and the tendency to manipulate others to get their own emotional needs met. Transformational work entails going into dark places in ourselves, and this very much goes against the grain of the Two’s personality structure, which prefers to see itself in only the most positive, glowing terms.”
(from The Wisdom of the Enneagram, p. 127-128)

Enneagram types can be visualized as the vehicle that you use to drive through life. We all have each type in ourselves. Each type has a different relationship with being “enough” and what “enough” is defined by. The enneagram has been a toolbox to work with the behaviours and thought patterns that I already had and be able to look at it with a more compassionate lens.

“Perhaps the biggest obstacle facing Twos, Threes, and Fours in their inner work is having to face their underlying Center fear of worthlessness. Beneath the surface, all three types fear that they are without value in themselves, and so they must be or do something extraordinary in order to win love and acceptance from others. In the average to unhealthy Levels, Twos present a false image of being completely generous and unselfish and of not wanting any kind of pay-off for themselves, when in fact, they can have enormous expectations and unacknowledged emotional needs.” (from The Wisdom of the Enneagram, p. 127-128)

Being enough is not about how little trouble you cause to the people around you or what achievements and goals you’ve reached. Being enough for you is a constant proactive inner practice of compassion. This includes but is not limited to: self-care, establishing boundaries, and developing a relationship with yourself. To give yourself the validation you are seeking is the first step to creating healthy relationships with others. To have connections with others as the icing on the cake and not the whole cake is a lot more fun!Are you interested to see what vehicle you’re driving?

Follow the links below for more information if you feel called to learn more about the enneagram!

The descriptions of each type can be found here:
https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-descriptions

To take the official test from The Enneagram Institute, visit: https://tests.enneagraminstitute.com/

There are alternative free tests that you can find online, including the one linked below:
https://mypersonality.net/