The Best Way to De-Stress, According to Your Enneagram
Stress is a normal human condition. With short-term stress, we can use the surge of adrenaline to motivate ourselves to achieve goals, like pass a test, or nail a performance. However, chronic, long-term stress is when it starts to take a mental and physical toll on our wellbeing, resulting in symptoms like insomnia, digestive issues, chronic pain, and more. While many of us will feel better by exercising, taking deep breaths, or prioritizing sleep, there is no one-size-fits-all way to de-stress. However, with a little help from the Enneagram test, we’ve found the best way for each personality type to take a step back and recharge amidst the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.
What Is the Enneagram?
The Enneagram, which dates back centuries, comes from Greek and means a “nine-pointed figure.” It is a categorization tool that types people into nine distinct but interconnected personality types and is an excellent tool for discovering your core fears and motivations for your behavior, amplifying your personal growth, and challenging yourself to become the healthiest version of yourself; built within the Enneagram is the understanding that how we show up in the world isn’t always the best version we can be. It also gives us insight into the ways others around us operate, lending us a more empathetic lens in which to view the world. Once you’ve taken the test, read below to find the best way to de-stress based on your Enneagram type.
Type One
The Reformer
Ones are perfectionists and struggle with controlling the voice of their inner critic. To truly de-stress, they must focus on silencing their inner critic, giving themselves permission to do things, and embracing the imperfect more frequently. Clutter and disorder trigger stress for Ones more than other types, so to-do lists and keeping their spaces neat can help them manage.
More Ways Type Ones Can De-stress:
Practice I Am Mantra Meditation with Sah D'Simone.
Practice positive self-affirmations and remind yourself of your amazing qualities.
Schedule in stretching breaks throughout your day to release tension.
Allow yourself to loosen up. Laugh and celebrate your inner child.
Type Two
The Helper
Twos are so oriented to helping others that they often neglect their own needs. To de-stress, they have to put themselves front and center and let everyone else take the back burner for a bit. Learning to say “no” is a big challenge for Twos, but it’s the best way for them to regain a sense of self. If you’re a Two, de-stress by treating yourself — that could be taking yourself on a date, journaling, or spending time with a trusted friend who is great at listening.
More Ways Type Twos Can De-stress:
Practice Into Your Body with Carling Harps.
Set healthy boundaries in your relationships and stick with them.
Set aside time each day or each week to do something just for you. Set a reminder so you don’t forget!
Go through your calendar and let go of a few non-essential obligations you’ve made to others.
Type Three
The Achiever
Threes are so go-go-go that self-care falls low on their list of priorities — unless it’s already scheduled in. Image-conscious and driven, Threes relentlessly pursue their goals and must prioritize intentional days of rest or they’ll push themselves to exhaustion. They need to spend time with people who truly know them in and out who they don’t have to project their best version to.
More Ways Type Threes Can De-stress:
Practice Let It Go: Meditation For Self Care with Phyllicia Bonanno.
Focus on your goals in a healthy way by creating a vision board.
Create boundaries and balance between your work and personal life. Don’t allow yourself to check email outside of work hours and give yourself plenty of time to disconnect from work-related things.
Find a creative outlet that brings you peace and isn’t competitive, like watercolor painting, journaling, or photography.
Type Four
The Individualist
Creative and deeply connected to their emotions, Fours excel at knowing when they need to stop and take a break. De-stressing often involves turning to books, music, or movies that strike an emotional chord or devoting time to creative outlets, but it can also be something grounding and physical like heat-building yoga.
More Ways Type Fours Can De-stress:
Practice Circle The Mat with Ashley Galvin.
Call a close friend whom you trust and confide in them.
Take a break outside in nature.
Reassess your routines and see how you can make them healthier and more fulfilling.
Type Five
The Investigator
Relaxing doesn’t come easy to Fives, as they can be pretty intense individuals who tend to retreat into isolation rather than facing conflict head-on. With a lot of nervous energy to burn, sticking to a workout routine is the best way for a Five to melt away the stress and stay on track.
More Ways Type Fives Can De-stress:
Practice Cardio Fix with Jacy Cunningham.
Don’t underestimate the power of your breath! Focus on deep breathing when you feel tested.
Be honest with yourself about what your limits are to avoid feeling drained.
Allow yourself to feel your feelings, but reach out to others for help rather than retreating as you usually do.
Type Six
The Loyalist
Sixes are one of the most anxiety-prone types of the Enneagram and tend to overreact when under stress. Identifying what triggers an overreaction as well as finding space to process their thoughts in the aftermath of a crisis is crucial for their mental health and general well-being.
More Ways Type Sixes Can De-stress:
Stop yourself from spiraling. Before you allow your anxious thoughts to drag you down into negative thinking, consider what the best outcomes could be.
Assess your physical needs and don’t forget to tend to them.
Accept your fears, but find healthy ways to cope with them, and don’t shy away from logical thinking.
Type Seven
The Enthusiast
Sevens thrive on being busy, which puts them at a bigger risk of burnout than other types that more easily seek out solace. To be in touch with their best selves, Sevens must schedule alone time away from the external stimulation from new people and new experiences that they crave. On the flip side, seeking out travel opportunities will keep them full of life and vibrant.
More Ways Type Sevens Can De-stress:
Allow yourself to accept pain as a normal part of life.
Don’t be afraid to get in touch with your feelings. Express them through journaling or by speaking to a trusted friend or loved one.
Make time for a bit of stillness in your life and commit to regular meditation.
Type Eight
The Challenger
Confident and independent, Eights tend to think they have it all figured out — de-stressing included. They are tenacious and tough, but deep down they are vulnerable, so they need cardio and physically demanding activity to help them work through their many complex layers.
More Ways Type Eights Can De-stress:
Practice Power FULL with Adrienne Kimberley.
Make time for regular adventure in your life.
Give yourself time alone to decompress.
Allow yourself to let down your guard from time to time.
Type Nine
The Peacemaker
Nines constantly strive for harmony and feel most stressed when something is out of alignment, whether it be conflict in a relationship or even within their own minds. They have a huge need for a safe retreat that allows them solitude and plenty of rest to work through any perceived lack of peace in their lives, and time spent outside is the most fulfilling and clarifying for them.
More Ways Type Nines Can De-stress:
Practice Unwind and De-Stress with Susy Markoe Schieffelin.
Challenge yourself to release your repressed anger and assert yourself.
Wake up earlier than usual to allow yourself time to wake up slowly and intentionally enjoy your morning routine.
Use a mind map to guide you through decision-making.
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