Enneatype 2: characteristics and potential

Throughout history many periodic tables of personality have coexisted. One of them is the enneagram, which consists of a map about our behavior. This would favor the understanding of the traits and qualities that characterize us and differentiate us from others. It is a dynamic model, which proposes 9 personality types, today we will talk about enneatype 2.

When talking about this enneatype, we refer to the tendency we have to react, that is, to adapt to known, new or complex situations. So, it is the type of personality that characterizes us. Thus there is no such thing as an absolute good or bad type, which is why we talk about a tendency.

To know the enneatype with which we most identify, we must look at ourselves as an object of analysis. In addition, some tests and reading about the topic can help. The important thing is that we come to identify with the enneatype.

And to make it easier to locate it, we can take as reference our way of adapting to the variations that occur in the environment, as well as our learning history.

Enneatype 2: the person willing to help

Within each enneatype, we can talk about a person with more or less balance. Enneatype 2 is recognized as the helping person, and refers to when the person is in their healthy or balanced state.

People who are classified within this enneatype are helpful, while enjoying social recognition.. One of his main motivations is to make the lives of others better. Therefore, they are considered generous, helpful and considerate. The love and concern they feel, and the good they do, comforts them and makes them feel worthwhile.

Some characteristics of both are:

They get involved in the needs and dreams of others, even putting them before their own. Being good people makes them feel good. They think that loving oneself a lot and taking care of oneself is being selfish. They relate easily to other people, are sociable and like to satisfy others. others. They like to feel important and to let them know it through words or actions. They feel proud of their actions, but this same pride prevents them from asking for help.

basic fear

During childhood, we form an idea of ​​how to interact with the world. Little by little we are abandoning bipolar thinking to begin to understand that we live in a world full of nuances. Nuances that are important.

One of the most frequent fears of enneatype 2 people is combined with the idea of ​​not being loved, considered and appreciated.. A fear that is associated, in the context of the enneatypes, with three beliefs in childhood:

They thought they would only get if they gave. They believed it was their obligation to put the needs of others above their own. They understood that they had to earn the affection of others.

Strengths

Both have several strong points, among which stand out:

They support and encourage those around them. They naturally recognize the needs of others. They have warm, loving and positive attitudes. They persist and seriously dedicate themselves to the tasks at hand. They are interested in getting to know other people.

Weaknesses

Among the weaknesses of both of them are:

They seek and need the approval of others. They are perceived as authoritarian at times. They have problems recognizing their own needs. They are easily offended by criticism.

Subtypes

There are subtypes according to instincts, which could be: sexual, social or conservative and according to the enneatype they approach. The latter is called wing. If they approach enneatype 1 they would be the subtype of the servers and if they approach 3 they would be the subtype of the hosts.

The server

They are nice, kind and helpful people. They are usually serious in their intention to help; all this when they are at the healthy level.

They feel responsible for ensuring that others are well and become strict or very critical of themselves at the average level. Also, they may want to be important to the other and feel that way, but restrain their emotional expression so as not to be the center of attention.

The host

At the healthy level, These people usually seek to connect with others and make them feel good, and are more extroverted than those of the server subtype. They like to convey the abundance that exists within them, they are sociable and charming, but their self-esteem will depend less on serving others and more on their own qualities.

They are usually friendly, with good humor and constantly working on what they aspire to, at the intermediate level. Furthermore, seductive, sentimental and excessively friendly. Finally, they may come to be seen as vain and arrogant.

The conservative

They focus on the needs of others. They find it difficult to ask for help and often feel overwhelmed. Are the
variant more likely to be exhausted by others without paying attention to their needs; They don’t rest enough or take the time.

The sexual

They love intimacy. They would stand out for their conquering attitude; In the face of rejection, they tend to insist. They don’t need to have many friends, but they do need to occupy a very important place in the lives of those they have. They love to seduce and conquer people they are attracted to, especially if they are a challenge or if they are not interested at first.

The social

According to the book The wisdom of the enneagram , They would be somewhat flattering people, they want to be liked and approved. They like to be the center of attention and are afraid of being excluded. They try to impress others, which can put them into conflict, because because they want to be liked, they can reveal other people’s secrets. They could become jealous, possessive and controlling.

Potentials of enneatype 2

When enneatype 2 people are in crisis they tend to deceive themselves, believe they have the right over others, become obsessed with love, and somatize. Furthermore, they tend to forget about their needs to satisfy those of others, falling into “excessive kindness.” In other words, they care so much about each other that they go out of their way.

But how to take advantage of this trend to your advantage?

Removing excessive worry. To do this, they can focus on the fact that it is not possible to always please everyone, so it is important to be assertive and see who to help solve their needs. One trick is to focus on those with whom you establish healthy relationships.Setting limits. This way you can avoid getting too involved in other people’s problems.Recognizing the other. It is about seeing that although others do not express their way of loving as is and as enneatype 2 people expect, they know that this does not mean that they are not important to the other. Simply, everyone connects differently. Distancing pride. Above all, if she is the protagonist of the emotional world. Pride covers up the fear of not being worthy or feeling unwanted. Trying to be honest. Kindness is not incompatible with sincerity. In many cases it is necessary to say, with education, respect, and even affection, what we think and that the other does not want to hear.

Also, self-awareness practices could provide them with a valid opportunity to better analyze their way of acting, in addition to motivating them to be more assertive. Likewise, they can find growth opportunities by:

Pay attention to your own personal needs. Learn to accept help from other people. Recognize that your value goes beyond what you can offer to others. Accept and overcome negative emotions, instead of avoiding them.

People with enneatype 2 would have a profile that is highly appreciated by others. We could count on them, they would always form a group or team and, as a rule, they would combine their social interactions with a positive state of mind. Furthermore, if they find a balance, they can become very happy adopting this vital attitude.

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