Ennea What?

00:41 - Welcome back to Episode 9 of Tea with Meek and Nique! We are taking a short break over the holiday, but we will be back strong in 2020 as we continue to build our brand. Today's topic is the Enneagram, we’re talking about what it is, why we love it, how knowing our type has helped us, what surprised us from our test results and how the results even guide our mothering.  04:56 - First, let’s define the Enneagram? From the Magnolia Journal, page 48 from the Fall of 2018. ‘Often misunderstood as simply a personality assessment used to describe quirks and traits of individuality, this tool goes much further than simple characters. It helps explain the ‘why’, of how we think, act and feel. It helps us come to terms with our gifts as well as with the difficult patterns that tether us to ur greatest interpersonal, spiritual and emotional challenges’.    06:32 - Meek and Nique explain how they found their way to the Enneagram. Meek found out about the Enneagram on social media and Nique was asked randomly by someone if she had taken the Enneagram test. Meek took a free test, though she normally does not believe in things like the Enneagram when she read her results she felt seen.  07:20 -  Disclaimer: Our description of Enneagram is such an elementary introduction to everything Enneagram from our experience and perspectives. There is so much to know and there are experts like, Chris Hewards who can then guide you more deeply into all the things that are woven into the Enneagram. Nique explains that there are 9 numbers and it’s built-in a triad. She explains what the test looks like and how it asks you to choose your answers. Nique continues to say she is a dominant 2, a type 2 person is a caretaker, a pleaser, a helper type individual, seeks love through self-sacrifice. 10:00 -The follow-up work after taking the test is learning who you are and how to be a healthier you. Nique explains it’s one thing to know your number but it is what you do with your number that really matters. Nique explains that this can help lead a healthier mental lifestyle. Nique asks Meek why she loves Enneagram, Meek is a type 7 which is basically the enthusiast, adventurer and the energizer, hence, all of the energy she has, she seeks imaginative freedom and independence and has always been this way. She doesn’t like to be tied down to one thing, she gets bored easily, one thing that her Enneagram always says (which she doesn’t know if she can commit to) are the spontaneous adventures. 14:14 - Learn how to resonate with who you are and how to healthily reflect it on the outside. Nique loves the Enneagram because a passage of the magazine said, ‘Once we learn our Enneagram type, it can change the way we see ourselves. It helps us tell to see the truth about who we really are and live out of that reality and the Enneagram can help lead a healthier lifestyle. It keeps Nique truly balanced and centered. Meek explains how she is reluctant to share her ‘hidden struggles’ due to her belief that she must appear upbeat and fun and conceal emotions, anxiety, and loneliness as well as frustration that brings her down. She never wants people to know when she is sad because she views it as a sign of weakness. 18:29 -Nique gives her summary of her type 2 and how she resonates with it at her best AND her worst. She asks Meek what else she likes about her Enneagram results.  22:26 - Now getting into the question of, “What surprised you most from the test?”. Meek feels how correct it is especially when she read that she needs to sit still, slow down. Nique says a healthy practice for her as a type 2 is solitude.   26:00 - How has the result guided your mothering? When Meek feels burnt out she takes me-time at night when the kids are sleeping and knowing her triggers helps her actively work to stay calm. Nique has found the ability to take me time and the ability to tell her children when she is taking me time. 29:40 - Nique closes with a final passage, “All of us just want to know we’re safe and loved. The Enneagram helps us get to the root of this simple desire. From there we can live out the purpose that each of us has been created for.”   Book: The Sacred Enneagram - Chris Heuertz ----- Make sure to follow Meek and Nique on social media!  Meka’s blog is Hanging with the Harrells and her instagram is @xomekaharrell. Nique can be found at White Coat Wifey and followed at @whitecoatwifey! Make sure to follow the show at @teawithmeekandnique on Insta to see behind-the-scenes and more content, say hello to your fearless hosts at meekandnique.com,  and tune in for the next episode!