Yeah, so I've basically done no research on enneagram. That's very unlike me. :tongue: I'm thinking that might actually be beneficial now, though, because I can't answer with any type in mind!
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read this whole long thing.
Main Questions
1. What drives you in life? What do you look for?
Already we've got a hard question! Happiness, I guess. Learning, exploring and discovering. Doing things that excite me.
2. What do you hope to accomplish in your life?
I'm still figuring this one out, but I hope to find a career that is fulfilling and surround myself with good people. I'd like to experience unique things and travel the world.
3. What do you hope to avoid doing or being? What values are important to you?
I don't want to get stuck in a rut and stop making progress. That scares me. I need new things to keep happening and I need to keep improving. As for values, I guess I value self-improvement. I dunno.
4. What are your biggest fears (not including phobias)? Why?
Hmmm…I find myself fearing becoming a mom and getting trapped looking after someone else's life. That seems suffocating. I fear getting betrayed by people close to me and being alone.
5. How do you want others to see you? How do you see yourself?
I want people to see me as competent and interesting, and fun to be around. I see myself as being a bit of an oddball.
6. What makes you feel your best? What makes you feel your worst?
I feel my best when I'm having fun, doing something well. I feel my worst when I'm faced with too many obstacles that I don't know how to handle.
7. Describe how you experience each of: a) anger; b) shame; c) anxiety.
It takes a long time for me to get angry. People can piss me off, but I stay in control and don’t flip out. There is a line that can get crossed for me though, either when someone does something really outrageously bad, or pokes at me for too long. Then I become a force to be reckoned with. I’m not a shouter or violent though.
Shame is hard for me to deal with. When I feel it, I withdraw a lot and want to climb under a rock. Then I try to make whatever it is right again.
Anxiety is something I struggle with. Runs in my family. When I was a teenager, I let it rule my life, but that was also because of trauma in my preteen years. Now when I feel anxiety, I try to power through it to overcome it.
8. Describe how you respond to each of: a) stress; b) unexpected change; c) conflict.
I’m pretty aware of stress in my life and try to keep it minimal. I don’t do well under stress, so if I am feeling overloaded by stuff, I drop whatever I need to in my life until I can get a handle on things again. Stress makes me irritable and short with other people, and I generally withdraw because I realize that I am an unpleasant person at the time…this in turn makes me more depressed. XD
How I deal with unexpected change depends, of course, on whether it is good or bad change. I’m usually pretty adaptable. I only resist change if it will do more harm than good.
I deal with conflict differently depending on the kind of conflict. If I’m being directly challenged, I handle that pretty well. I can get pretty stressed out if a conflict is hidden or blindsides me.
9. Describe your orientation to: a) authority; b) power. How do you respond to these?
I’m fine with authority as long as they are not bothering me. If I’m being directly influenced by authority, I sometimes work against it and rebel, especially if I don’t respect the authority figure or think they are wrong.
I don’t enjoy having power over other people. I like having enough power to do what I like.
10. What is your overall outlook on life and humanity?
Life has its ups and downs. It’s full of possibilities. Humanity is much the same. In the past, bad things have happened to me that caused me to take a very dark view of humanity and gave me a lot of anger. Since then, though, I’ve tended toward a more easygoing view of it. Humanity is good and bad, capable of terrible things and wonderful things.
Optional Questions
11. Discuss an event that has impacted your life significantly; more importantly, how you responded to it.
When I was 12, I was hanging out with my best friend and two teenage males attempted to rape her. I fought them and got her away. The aftermath of that was a mess. We had to walk home, but the teenagers followed us so we tried stopping in at our school for help. They turned us away. We stopped in at a friend’s house next, thinking she would give us a ride to ensure our safety. Our friend’s mother turned us away too. We got home and my friend did not want to tell her parents. I did so against her will, police were called. They complimented my friend on her bravery, did jack shit about it besides that, and that was that. I told my friends about what happened and they didn’t really respond, and then they stayed friends with the teenagers who had committed the act. My parents thought I was alright. Since the general message I was receiving was that it was no big deal, I accepted that, but I was not alright. I fell into a deep depression a year later without knowing why and I stayed that way for the next 7 years. I handled the whole thing by pushing away all my friends, isolating and being very angry. I would say that event was what impacted me the most so far, because I would have been a very different person if it had never happened.
12. Comment on your relationship with trust.
This is very much related to the story above. I have trust issues. I don't let people get close to me easily.
13. List some of the traits you: a) like; b) dislike most about yourself.
I like my imagination. I like that I’m a great problem solver and how well I can adapt to situations. I like my determination. I dislike that I’m pretty flighty and can’t stick with things very well.
14. What do you see or notice in others that most people don't?
That’s a tough one. I’m pretty good at sensing peoples’ intentions, I guess.
15. If a stranger insults you, how do you respond/feel? What if they compliment you?
It can sting, depending on the situation. If they were mean enough and it actually got to me, I might respond back with something biting or something witty that makes them feel stupid. If I’m complimented, I thank them and say something nice back.
16. What's something you are: a) thankful you have; b) wish you could have? Why?
I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had in life. I was lucky to be born in the family I was. I wish I could have more confidence and more inner peace, since I still haven’t completely shaken my anxiety problems.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read this whole long thing.
Main Questions
1. What drives you in life? What do you look for?
Already we've got a hard question! Happiness, I guess. Learning, exploring and discovering. Doing things that excite me.
2. What do you hope to accomplish in your life?
I'm still figuring this one out, but I hope to find a career that is fulfilling and surround myself with good people. I'd like to experience unique things and travel the world.
3. What do you hope to avoid doing or being? What values are important to you?
I don't want to get stuck in a rut and stop making progress. That scares me. I need new things to keep happening and I need to keep improving. As for values, I guess I value self-improvement. I dunno.
4. What are your biggest fears (not including phobias)? Why?
Hmmm…I find myself fearing becoming a mom and getting trapped looking after someone else's life. That seems suffocating. I fear getting betrayed by people close to me and being alone.
5. How do you want others to see you? How do you see yourself?
I want people to see me as competent and interesting, and fun to be around. I see myself as being a bit of an oddball.
6. What makes you feel your best? What makes you feel your worst?
I feel my best when I'm having fun, doing something well. I feel my worst when I'm faced with too many obstacles that I don't know how to handle.
7. Describe how you experience each of: a) anger; b) shame; c) anxiety.
It takes a long time for me to get angry. People can piss me off, but I stay in control and don’t flip out. There is a line that can get crossed for me though, either when someone does something really outrageously bad, or pokes at me for too long. Then I become a force to be reckoned with. I’m not a shouter or violent though.
Shame is hard for me to deal with. When I feel it, I withdraw a lot and want to climb under a rock. Then I try to make whatever it is right again.
Anxiety is something I struggle with. Runs in my family. When I was a teenager, I let it rule my life, but that was also because of trauma in my preteen years. Now when I feel anxiety, I try to power through it to overcome it.
8. Describe how you respond to each of: a) stress; b) unexpected change; c) conflict.
I’m pretty aware of stress in my life and try to keep it minimal. I don’t do well under stress, so if I am feeling overloaded by stuff, I drop whatever I need to in my life until I can get a handle on things again. Stress makes me irritable and short with other people, and I generally withdraw because I realize that I am an unpleasant person at the time…this in turn makes me more depressed. XD
How I deal with unexpected change depends, of course, on whether it is good or bad change. I’m usually pretty adaptable. I only resist change if it will do more harm than good.
I deal with conflict differently depending on the kind of conflict. If I’m being directly challenged, I handle that pretty well. I can get pretty stressed out if a conflict is hidden or blindsides me.
9. Describe your orientation to: a) authority; b) power. How do you respond to these?
I’m fine with authority as long as they are not bothering me. If I’m being directly influenced by authority, I sometimes work against it and rebel, especially if I don’t respect the authority figure or think they are wrong.
I don’t enjoy having power over other people. I like having enough power to do what I like.
10. What is your overall outlook on life and humanity?
Life has its ups and downs. It’s full of possibilities. Humanity is much the same. In the past, bad things have happened to me that caused me to take a very dark view of humanity and gave me a lot of anger. Since then, though, I’ve tended toward a more easygoing view of it. Humanity is good and bad, capable of terrible things and wonderful things.
Optional Questions
11. Discuss an event that has impacted your life significantly; more importantly, how you responded to it.
When I was 12, I was hanging out with my best friend and two teenage males attempted to rape her. I fought them and got her away. The aftermath of that was a mess. We had to walk home, but the teenagers followed us so we tried stopping in at our school for help. They turned us away. We stopped in at a friend’s house next, thinking she would give us a ride to ensure our safety. Our friend’s mother turned us away too. We got home and my friend did not want to tell her parents. I did so against her will, police were called. They complimented my friend on her bravery, did jack shit about it besides that, and that was that. I told my friends about what happened and they didn’t really respond, and then they stayed friends with the teenagers who had committed the act. My parents thought I was alright. Since the general message I was receiving was that it was no big deal, I accepted that, but I was not alright. I fell into a deep depression a year later without knowing why and I stayed that way for the next 7 years. I handled the whole thing by pushing away all my friends, isolating and being very angry. I would say that event was what impacted me the most so far, because I would have been a very different person if it had never happened.
12. Comment on your relationship with trust.
This is very much related to the story above. I have trust issues. I don't let people get close to me easily.
13. List some of the traits you: a) like; b) dislike most about yourself.
I like my imagination. I like that I’m a great problem solver and how well I can adapt to situations. I like my determination. I dislike that I’m pretty flighty and can’t stick with things very well.
14. What do you see or notice in others that most people don't?
That’s a tough one. I’m pretty good at sensing peoples’ intentions, I guess.
15. If a stranger insults you, how do you respond/feel? What if they compliment you?
It can sting, depending on the situation. If they were mean enough and it actually got to me, I might respond back with something biting or something witty that makes them feel stupid. If I’m complimented, I thank them and say something nice back.
16. What's something you are: a) thankful you have; b) wish you could have? Why?
I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had in life. I was lucky to be born in the family I was. I wish I could have more confidence and more inner peace, since I still haven’t completely shaken my anxiety problems.
You have to dig deep and acknowledge your "bad spots" and weak spots. At first I thought I was a Nine, but then realized I was a (phobic) 6w7.
