Hello! Today, we're going to talk about personality tests. Specifically, the enneagram.
While my friend Tessa was staying with me, she introduced me to the concept of the enneagram,
which is basically a personality test that divides you into nine core types
which are based on your basic fear and your basic desire. Um, and a bunch of other things as well, but
that's kind of the premise. I'm a type nine. And I think that's really interesting.
I thought I'd tell you a bit about my type, what I'm like, um, might give you some insight into my character.
So, my base desire is to keep the peace. I'm a peacemaker, I like it when there is no conflict.
I fear conflict. When there's tension or arguments, it makes me super, super anxious. I hate it, I hate
having to address a problem or confront someone. Obviously, all the weaknesses here, I'm actively trying to
work on, this is just how I- on a really low, animal level, how I react to stuff.
According to Enneagram Institute, um, I am accepting, empathetic, trusting, I see the best in others, and I am
optimistic. In terms of my general personality, I'm very empathetic, that's part of the negotiator side of me,
I can usually see all sides of an argument, I'm very trusting, which can be a big weakness,
but in general, I am very good at putting myself in other peoples' shoes and seeing where they're coming from
even if I don't agree with them. I tend to see the best in others, and I'm very optimistic.
Like, weirdly optimistic. I feel like I don't choose it, I'm just very glass-half-full.
I appear quite stable. Anyone who hangs out with me will know that when I talk about my problems,
I talk about them, but I don't, uh... show emotion when I talk about them. It's very factual, it's very, like,
'Okay. Okay, this is the situation right now.' However... that leads to many problems.
Specifically, uh, I'm still feeling all those emotions. But generally, I suppress my anger and I suppress my
sadness. That comes very naturally to me, and I'm trying so hard to combat it because, obviously,
if you suppress your anger, if you suppress your sadness, that leads to more problems later down the
line. You're not dealing with it, you tend to just avoid the issue as opposed to confronting it head-on.
There's a warning paragraph on the type nine on Enneagram Institute, which says,
'Addiction' [laughs] in big letters. Because, obviously, when you don't deal with your issues,
they can manifest in other ways. Such as alcohol dependency. And drug abuse. And eating disorders.
And trichotillomania, or, kind of compulsive- impulse disorders. So yeah, you gotta deal with the things, gang.
Because of the empathy thing, type nines tend to relate to every single number on the enneagram
in some way or another. So they can find it hard to identify themselves. And apparently, they're often
misjudged as a two, which is, like, the helper and the person who wants to look after and nurture a lot.
But I really didn't see myself in that one at all. However, a good way of identifying a nine is that they really don't
identify with the eight type. And the eight type is one that I just... have real trouble empathizing with,
in terms of their motives. But even then, I do my best. I'm always quite happy to go along with what everyone else
wants, I'm very happy to be flexible and to compromise. And sometimes that can be bad because when there's
something that is actually important, I generally don't stand up for myself enough, or I don't fight my point of
view enough. But, I mean, I will always be happy to see whatever film you wanna see,
unless it's something I really hate, or... It's like, assertive verging on passive. And I'm really trying to push
being assertive. If we're looking at wings, which is another part of the enneagram I don't quite understand,
but each number has a wing, one way or the other. I'm a nine, wing one. Which is the same as Obama.
I don't really know what else that entails, but I just read the description and was like, 'Yep, that sounds more
like me.' [Laughs] Another weakness of nines is that they really don't like demands being put on them. They prefer
that- there's a definite thing about the way you phrase how you tell me you want me to do something.
Because if it's phrased like a demand, I will avoid it. I am such an avoider, and that's a constant battle with me.
It's like, being an adult, paying my bills and doing all the organizing I need to do, I run all the errands,
but, having this real desire- like, like an intense avoidance desire. Because those demands are being
placed in me in such a formal 'You have to do this!' kind of way.
I'm also a huge procrastinator. I know it's a problem. I think most people are. But also, like... yeah, apparently
that's a nine thing, so I'll take it. And online, it says that "In unhealth or unhealthy states of mind, nines can be
-forgetful, obsessive and needy."
yeah.
I'm very, very, very forgetful, and I don't know if that's a nine thing
or if that's just me, but I am sO forgetful
Obsessive? Maybe not so much..um
I beat myself up a lot but I wouldn't say I'm obsessive
Needy? Yeah. I get needy
um, which is really weird because um naturally, I'm not needy at all and
as it says that 'the type nine'
is um.. like really independent
and um.. generally doesn't seek support
and so that's another reason why they usually struggle with um
suppressing their anger and their sadness.
It's because
they don't want the help, necessarily, they don't wanna burden other people
they want everything to be fine and dandy and smooth.
But again, I'm learning how to depend on people...
I'm learning how to share more...
So I'm like working on all of this stuff and I hope that I'll get to a point where I can be
..these can be my natural, like, ways of being. But I'm learning active ways to deal with them.
So yeah. That's my little um, that's my little situation
uh, on the enneagram scale.
Let me know what type you are.
I'm really happy with being a nine.
I think it's funny as well because you'll hear this about me and then be like
'Oh but, online, she's really emotional and says loads of stuff,'
and someone messaged me the other day and said I'm having a constant life crisis
and like,
yeah, to some extent but um I see this as kind of a safer space for me to get it all out..
I see this as um, a way of channelling it so i don't burn other people. I think that's maybe a better way of putting it.
um..so yeah you kind of see the turmoil that goes under like..
the really glossy, like, exterior.
Ok, thank you for watching.
Let me know what type you are in the comments because I'm really curious
I wonder if my audience are similar to me in that, in that we're the same type
or if we're just similar in terms of our interests and our music taste and our humour.
You know like, I wanna know that.
Alright thank you so much for watching, and I will see you in my next video.
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