The Enneagram of Personality is a helpful way to understand one’s fears, motivations and needs. It is essential to engage in self-care practices, regardless of one’s personality type.

Because each individual has a different way of directing their energy, it often tends to be the case that some activities that go against one’s typical patterns can heal and support growth.

Enneagram Type 1

Type 1’s are purposeful individuals, who strive for perfection in everything they do. They value living life in an intentional way but often struggle with a very harsh inner critic that pushes them to strive for working as hard as possible to make the world a better place. At their best, type 1 is diligent, intentional and purposeful, inspiring others to also live up to their own ideals. At their worst, however, and during times of stress, they are overly critical of themselves and others, very rigid and have a lot of difficulty relaxing and enjoying the moment.

So what can 1’s do to care for themselves?

->Find a playful activity to engage in regularly – this can help enneagram 1 to release their inner tension and see life from a more fun, light-hearted way

->Surround yourself with people that are more easy-going – similarly, spending time with others who are more enthusiastic, light-hearted and spontaneous can inspire the 1 to engage in such activities once in a while

->Remind yourself that sometimes, 80% is enough – another very important thing for enneagram 1 to understand is that 80 is the new 100. Most often, 80% done is enough.

->Try to do something new at least once a week – opening oneself up to new experiences and ways to do things can really help the 1 loosen up and enjoy the present more in order to recharge their batteries for what’s next on their “to do” list

Enneagram Type 2

Type 2’s are nurturing, helpful, generous individuals who are deeply motivated to put others first. At their best they are highly empathetic but are genuine in caring for others, offering support and balancing their needs with those of others. However, during difficult and stressful times, they tend to be people-pleasing, self-sacrificing in an excessive way, possessive and emotionally manipulative.

So what can 2’s do to care for themselves?

-> Write about the things they feel in a journal – this will help you stay in touch with yourself to avoid pleasing others at the expense of your own needs and desires

-> Ask friends for help when feeling down – it is important for a type 2 to learn to also ask for help, as they are normally so focused on the needs of others that they forget to turn to themselves as well

-> Ask oneself “What do I need?” – a daily check-in practice can really help type 2 to learn to cater for themselves more regularly to avoid becoming overextended and then to leash out aggressively

-> Take a long bath and pamper yourself – a relaxing bath and a self-care ritual can help the 2 to recharge their energy and reconnect with themselves

Enneagram Type 3

Type 3’s are high achievers who are driven to find their self-worth in their success and productivity. At their best, they are charming, inspiring and connect to their calling. At their worst, and during stressful times, they are workaholic, stressed and obsessed with finding validation from others based on their professional accomplishments.

So what can 3’s do to care for themselves?

->Set clear boundaries to separate work from one’s personal life – it is extremely important for a type 3 to learn to take time off and enjoy their personal lives without feeling guilty that they are not doing more work

->Take time to enjoy achievements – because type 3 is so driven to achieve more and more, they might forget to also enjoy what they’ve already done well. Taking time to be happy and grateful for their achievements up to date can be a good source of self love

->Encourage others to work hard for what they believe in – by encouraging others to live purposefully and work hard to make their dreams a reality, type 3s can really connect to their gift and spread it to the world

->Write about their feelings in a journal – it is important for type 3 to learn to also give value to their emotions without suppressing them. Writing in a diary about this can be really helpful.

Enneagram Type 4

Type 4’s are dreamy, romantic individuals who believe in the power of authenticity and emotional truth. At their best, they are highly in tune with who they are and what they believe in and find the discipline to move towards their goals. At their worst, and during difficult times, they become overly emotional, needy and either push others away or desperately try to connect.

So what can 4’s do to care for themselves?

-> Take time to reflect how similarities help people bond – because 4s tend to think that being similar to others is a curse, learning to appreciate the things they have in common with others can really help them connect in a healthier way

-> Find a daily creative outlet – writing, painting, dancing or any other creative activities will allow the type 4 to express themselves in the authentic way they really look for and help them be emotionally consistent

-> Reflect upon their goals & making a plan – type 4 individuals will benefit from making a plan of action towards achieving their goals – this will give them a sense of direction and more discipline (something they often struggle with)

-> Find a fun physical exercise method – being in touch with their bodies can help type 4s to release the intense negative emotions they often experience

Enneagram Type 5

Type 5’s are motivated by the need to be knowledgeable, competent and self-sufficient. At their best, they are experts in a field they invested a lot of time in and use their knowledge to help others. At their worst, and during stressful times, they tend to be scattered, unfocused and anxious about not being useful in the world.

So what can 5’s do to care for themselves?

-> Get in touch with your body by enjoying a physical activity – type 5 can really benefit from finding a physical activity that helps them get in touch with their bodies as it will allow them to come back to reality when they are too caught up in their heads

-> After you learn something new, learn how to apply it – it is important for 5s to not let their knowledge pass away and finding ways to apply what they learn and help others in the process can be a good way to do it

-> Share your knowledge with others – sometimes, enneagram 5 individuals tend to only share what they know to make others look less intelligent. However, changing the perspective and sharing for the purpose of helping other people can do wonders

-> Start socializing more, even if just 1:1 – connecting with other people can be a challenge for the 5, but taking small steps towards it will help them nurture their emotional side as well

Enneagram Type 6

Type 6’s are loyal, responsible and nurturing individuals who look for safety and security above all else. At their best, they are responsible with their work and family life, calm and peaceful. At their worst, they become extremely anxious, fear abandonment and believe they cannot support themselves.

So what can 6’s do to care for themselves?

-> Write about their fears in a journal – this can help them release the tension they often experience while focusing on the worst case scenario

-> Surround themselves with loyal friends – being around such people can help the 6 see that they are safe and they are also able to rely on others, not just the other way around

-> Practice meditation and yoga – engaging in regular activities that ground them and bring their attention to the present can really stimulate type 6s to connect to their own self and let go of their fears

-> Plan a fun vacation – a relaxing and fun holiday or trip of some sort can help type 6s to balance their organized personality with some more peaceful and lighthearted moments

Enneagram Type 7

Type 7’s are enthusiastic, optimistic, spontaneous and ready to experience new and exciting things at every step. At their best, they are fun to be around, inspirational and positive about the future. At their worst, they are scattered, lack discipline and fly away from life’s challenges and issues by denying them.

So what can 7’s do to care for themselves?

-> Embrace silence for a while every day – it’s important for type 7 to learn how to be peaceful in silence, not only when they are on an adventure

-> Talk about what upsets them – type 7 individuals tend to be overly focused on what they like and tend to deny negative emotions. That’s why it is important for them to take time to reflect and talk about the negative things they feel as well

-> Find a morning routine and stick to it – because 7s tend to be rather spontaneous, they often lack discipline – finding a daily routine can help them build some of that structure in their life

-> Take some time to think about what they want to learn – it can highly benefit the 7 to intentionally learn about the things they are interested in rather than just being scattered and trying to pursue everything altogether

Enneagram Type 8

Type 8’s are determined challengers who fight injustice and stand up for themselves and those they care about the most. At their best, they are healthily protective, compassionate and strong. At their worst, during difficult times, they become aggressive, highly confrontational and domineering.

So what can 8’s do to care for themselves?

-> Get a massage and pamper themselves – spending time alone and getting in touch with their bodies can help type 8s to connect to themselves and release the intense anger they often experience

-> Practice compassion and helping others – when type 8 learns to direct their powerful energy to help others and cater for them, they transform into their best selves

-> Find a healthy way to release anger – sports, journalling, yoga, meditation or talking about it can all be useful ways to channel the anger without having it become destructive

-> Spend enough time alone – type 8 individuals tend to be rather extraverted and often very busy – spending time alone regularly can restore their inner balance

Enneagram Type 9

Type 9’s are peaceful, nurturing and harmony-oriented individuals. At their best, they are in touch with themselves and their inner guidance and are excellent mediators and human supporters. At their worst and during difficult times, they become disconnected from reality, out of touch with what they need and extremely conflict avoidant.

So what can 9’s do to care for themselves?

-> Start voicing out their real opinion on something – 9s tend to avoid saying how they feel so they don’t disrupt the harmony, but this inevitably causes them to lose their inner harmony

-> Go on a small adventure – type 9 individuals will benefit from getting out of their house and spending time in nature, doing something that excites them

-> Express their feelings around someone they love and trust – fearing conflict, type 9s tend to have a hard time expressing their true feelings but doing this in an emotionally safe space than really boost their confidence

-> Make a list of goals that inspire them – it will be beneficial for type 9 to focus on what THEY want to accomplish rather than being passive at letting life happen to them

So what is your enneagram type and what do you tend to do to relax?