[jdmn]

Introspection is to observate and notice conscious inner thoughts, feelings, sensations and desires.

As a six, how much do you dedicate time for introspection? Is it extremely necessary for you? How does your enneagram type six, its fears and desires are present in your introspection time?

 

[Stephen]

I personally have had serious issues in the past with this. Understanding how I felt about things and what I wanted from myself, and from others, was pretty unclear. This is just as much the case with feelings. I found, however, that getting in touch with my thoughts, feelings, and desires was not as difficult as I thought. It was mostly about shutting down the things in my life I was using to make the noise that would allow me to ignore what was inside. It was a terrifying prospect, to be sure... I recall telling someone late last year that I was afraid to stop the noise because I worried what I would find when alone with my thoughts. I was surprised and pleased to find that my inner thoughts were very run-of-the-mill. It wasn't so scary after all.

 

[white-knuckle]

Me being alone with my thoughts can be a very good place or a very bad place. It depends whether I am being my own friend or not. It depends on how my relationships are going. I over analyze and one bad encounter is a domino effect on how I feel about others.

People either I trust them or I distrust them. I feel very split. When I am my own friend I am so calm. I try to appear as though I trust. I try to appear as though I am indifferent to others.

My head is a very talkative place. I am quiet and friendly so I think most people would be surprised how much is going on below the exterior.

 

[oxytocinjunkie]

How do I dedicate time for introspection?
I'm having more problems turning it off, maybe it's just me?
Introspective with everything whether it be a good or bad thing.

It's the brain/emotional digestive system with the good or bad things being food.
Squeezing every bit out of the thought and absorbing/keeping track of the +'s and -'s.
Too many -'s and like vomiting I explode and there are nothing but -'s everywhere.

I guess as a type 6 it's just another way of being prepared/not getting caught off guard.

 

[Stephen]

How do I dedicate time for introspection?
I'm having more problems turning it off, maybe it's just me?
Introspective with everything whether it be a good or bad thing.

It's the brain/emotional digestive system with the good or bad things being food.
Squeezing every bit out of the thought and absorbing/keeping track of the +'s and -'s.
Too many -'s and like vomiting I explode and there are nothing but -'s everywhere.

I guess as a type 6 it's just another way of being prepared/not getting caught off guard.

You're not the only one having trouble turning it off, no. As sixes, we are, as you say, constantly digesting everything we see and hear in an attempt to be prepared. And as a result, we are prepared when shit goes down, aren't we. If I sound like I'm proud of this, I'm misrepresenting it. I'm trying to spend as much time integrated at nine as possible, but under stress it starts to crumble a little. Breaking out of such patterns is hard work. For me, it helps to see them as exactly that: unhealthy patterns that will repel those I want to keep in my life.

 

[IonOfAeons]

I give it my best effort to leave some time for not introspecting, but usually there's just not enough time for the outside world :wink:

The act of not introspecting is more boring and painful to me than is introspection. I find my own inner world of feelings and thoughts to be worth exploring than what's going on around me, mostly because everything around me feels so predictable.

 

[devoid]

I actually have problems with introspecting way too often. I tend to recheck decisions over and over until I completely doubt myself regardless of what I did (Did I already brush my teeth tonight?). I'm trying to take a step back from it when I can.

 

[yesiknowbut]

I have been having a terrifying time introspecting recently. Overthink things terribly, have been catastrophising to the max. Currently trying some personal CBT trying not to think about it techniques, as only managed 3 hours sleep last night. Decided I'm phobic for a damn good reason, and don't have time or emotional energy to deal with it now.
Not healthy, I know, but the time will come, the intention is there. Need to offload some work and responsibility first. Dumping out of work with a full-blown panic attack at short notice tends to be frowned upon.

 

[TNLADY]

I am constantly doubting myself and have a fear of messing something up. Only within the last couple years have I noticed I am my own worst enemy and need to take it easy on myself.

 

[Dancnonthestars]

@Ethal123 I wish I could double thank your post, because I can relate to it so very well. Just this past week I experienced a day where I was at once was my best friend and then my worst enemy. It left me spiraling for a moment before I righted my thinking. Usually I turn to introversion after I have located the problem in my thinking, or been given advice and must review on how I will let it impact my life. Extroverion happens when I need someone's advice, or when I need to express what I've been going through internally so that I can move on.

 

[Nearsification]

Well honestly I don't do it enough.

I'm so worried about everyone elses mind. Every elses feelings. I tend to ignore my own. I replace my need to understand my inner emotions by understanding others. Mines never really been important to me. To the point when I do something I don't know why until I see the results.

A perfect example of this is when I see someone at my school getting bullied or getting made fun of I feel bad so I like to do something stupid so they bother me instead. But when I think about it. Those insults I guess don't hurt me. Or did they? When the plan is in action I become robotic and prepare myself for it. I don't pay enough attention to my feelings and how I react. I'm much more interested and worried about other people.

 

[Azure Bass]

I doubt myself and it's already over. I over think and it's already over. The flow of negative traits in situations is inevitable, but at least I notice it. If I can negate pessimism and allow constructive introspection to take place, it is my right-hand man. To me, pessimism is a crutch and optimism is an inner strength. It's reflected in my strengths quest results as my second highest strength, 'strategic'. The first being 'includer'. For me, I just have to remember that I'm human and I'll make mistakes.But the choice is mine to make when I know what I'm up against internally.

 

[unico]

I introspect way too much, almost constantly. It causes me a lot of anxiety. Sometimes I introspect on more neutral/positive issues, but it still causes me anxiety from the more negative and uncertain aspects I focus on. I do feel I know myself pretty well, though, and don't get too confused on my feelings or thoughts, etc.

 

[William I am]

Hmmmm. With all the talk everyone's doing about "introspection" I wonder if we all mean the same thing by it.

There's a big BIG HUGE difference between thinking about all the random problem-seeking and anxiety driven planning that we do

and sitting back, calming down, and seeing how we really feel and what we really believe to be true.

I feel like a lot of the things I worry about are just a way to keep myself from being bored when I'm alone or not engaged by my situation.

Though I can tell you a million thoughts I have at any given moment, it is very hard for me to sort through all the noise of my thoughts to find what I really believe. I find asking myself questions, or having someone else ask them, is very helpful. And when I come up with an answer, questioning the validity of my answer really helps.

I like doing something that shuts up my "chattering monkey brain"(someone else's term), which is almost always something physical(bike rides?) or life-affirming (loud music anyone?) or something that is really funny (Hyperbole and a Half). Then I sit back when I'm in the mood and barrage my off-guard mind and get the real answers. They're not forthcoming. In fact, I've been paying attention to this for a couple years and it takes me about two weeks to know how I actually feel about something.
The devil's advocate "my this is an interesting perspective/idea/thought/possibility" thoughs are a dime a dozen, and are not introspection. They're noise we have to find ways around in order to listen to our true feelings.

Cheers!