The Enneagram: Teens Speak for Themselves I

Source: Drawing by Elizabeth Wagele

The Enneagram system of 9 personalities provides tools for living in a positive way. It will help you honor what’s important to you and learn to express what you want and need, including acceptance of yourself and of those different from you.

The Enneagram for Teens includes quizzes, cartoons, goals for each type, healing words, and more. The following is a taste of the many interviews of teens and former teens from chapters on types 1-4. See types 5-9 in my next blog June 16.

One-Perfectionist (doing things the right way): “I’m the judge of things done right and wrong. Everything I own has to be in the right spot or else I can’t stand to even stay there. Nothing can be crooked. I have such high standards and expectations that most people can’t meet them. Even the smallest things bug me, such as jagged edges or wrinkles in my bedspread. – Sam

Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize nothing’s lacking, the whole world belongs to you. - Lao Tzu

Two-Helper (doing things for others): “I want to be liked and to be part of a group who cares about me. I feel really sad if an animal dies on a TV show. I get emotionally hurt easily and have a hard time dealing with people who think I’m too demanding.” – Sookie

Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well. ~ Voltaire

Three-Achiever (wanting to succeed): “Wanting to fit in was a huge deal to me growing up. I wanted to be liked and accepted by my family and friends. In fact, that someone should think ill of me was extremely terrifying. I did all I could to be all things to all people. Unfortunately, this way of being deprived me from what I wanted most, connection and community with my peers.” – Brian

Do the right thing, even when no one is looking. – Anonymous

Four-Romantic (having an artistic temperament): “I’m emotionally sensitive, intense, self-critical, and feel melancholy or depressed a lot of the time. Throughout my life I have felt misunderstood. When people would tell me to be myself, I never felt I could because I always felt different. I feel all alone. Whenever I had an opinion I would voice it, yet I would feel like everyone would look at me funny. I want to talk everything out. I get stressed out.” - Shaun

Romantics find beauty in things others don’t even notice. – Author unknown

• Watch for my next Psychology Today blog on June 16 for types 5-9.

• See http://wagele.com/enneagram-teens/ for reviews of The Enneagram for Teens and to order it. There’s also an Enneagram quiz there for helping you discover your type.

• I’m looking for teens to participate in my panel at the International Enneagram Conference in Burlingame, near San Francisco, on Sat. August 1, 1 to 3 pm. Young people from age 12 to 25 can receive a free Enneagram for Teens e-book for being on the panel. Please write to me at wagele@icloud.com.