I’ve had a little bit of an identity crisis since returning to the States as I’ve been trying to discern how to balance “India Jaimie” with “America Jaimie” and attempting to figure out who even is Jaimie in the midst of transition, change, and adjustment. In the past month, this has led to some serious soul searching. When I arrived at training here in New York, most of my new teammates were talking about this hip personality test called the Enneagram and asked me, “So, do you know what your number is?” And I was all like, “Girl, I don’t even know who I am.” In an attempt to fit in (and also because I had heard from a close friend that the Enneagram was actually an amazing tool), I plunged into researching this personality test. I began reading through descriptions of each of the nine types and listening to hours upon hours of podcasts, all with the mindset that personality tests are ridiculous because they always put me into a box but never quite “get” me while simultaneously desperately wanting to be put in a box and defined. The more that I learned about the Enneagram and the different types, the more engaged and open I became. One of my favorite things about this tool is that it recognizes that personality is dynamic, for as we go throughout our day, we range from healthy to unhealthy behaviors that impact how we react to different situations. The Enneagram is also a tool for empathy: as you understand how and why different types of people act and their core struggles, you can empathize on a deeper level.
I am still searching definitively for my “number” on the Enneagram, but this search has led to reflection on how I view myself. I usually fluctuate between two extremes: only seeing the ways I’ve failed and how much I need to change and improve or I am a shining star that is amazing and beautiful and brave and strong and I’ve gotten to the place I have through my own works. Yet, neither of those extremes are truth, because neither include the work of the Lord – both what Christ has done for me as well as what He has done in me. When I am able to see myself as He sees me – worthy of His sacrifice, holy and righteous through His blood, a co-heir and conqueror with Christ who is continually being sanctified into an even more accurate representation of His likeness – that is when I am healthiest.
Interested in researching the Enneagram and joining me on this crazy journey of self-discovery?
Here is the link to the Enneagram Institute website (and includes a description of the 9 types): https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/
Here is another website that explains the 9 types from a Christian counseling group: http://www.safeharbor1.com/documents/Enneagram-Personality-Type-Indicator.pdf
My favorite podcasts (I listen to them for free on my Apple podcast app):
- “The Sleeping at Last Podcast” (currently has songs and podcasts for types 1-6 with the rest to release within the next couple of months)
- “The Road Back to You” (includes two episodes entitled “Discover the Enneagram” that gives a good overview of the what, why, and how of the Enneagram, as well as a plethora of episodes interviewing different people who identify as different types and their journey of learning)
- “The Liturgists Podcast” – Enneagram (Episode 37)
- Sandals Church “The Debrief Podcast” – Getting Real with the Enneagram (types 1-9 individual episodes)
Let me know if you have any other resources that you’ve discovered!