Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Does Understanding The Enneagram Assist With Marriage Issues?

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Morning good friend,

Final time I wrote, I stated I would ship footage of an artwork challenge I did with my granddaughters for Nana week. I purchased them some used cowboy boots. I spray painted them a impartial colour, then introduced out the paints, footage, phrases to chop out, beads and sparkles and allow them to be inventive. As soon as achieved, we crammed them up with silk vegetation and now they’re proudly displayed of their bedrooms. It was enjoyable to see the phrases they selected and their creativity blossom.

As we speak’s Query: 

I’m making an attempt to remain nicely in my marriage and total, it has gotten lots higher. I ponder for those who ever take into account the Enneagram sorts when coping with marital issues. I just lately have been investigating my husband’s kind (8- the challenger) and my kind (2- the pleaser) and the way it impacts our marriage. 

My query right this moment although is one thing that feels actually abusive that my husband does the entire time and he simply will not cease. He says he would not do it. That factor is simply disagreeing with every little thing I say simply to be unpleasant. 

He blames me for being “too delicate” and says that it was my childhood that makes me argument averse. (his childhood was no extra wholesome than mine) The 8 on the enneagram likes to argue- the two (me) hates battle. He’s a extremely good man other than this. He won’t ever admit he does this- I’ve began documenting what is alleged as a result of I are inclined to neglect the specifics after we are in entrance of a counselor. I’d recognize you addressing this. 

I used to be in counseling for myself and the counselor instructed me to simply say, “Yeah you’re most likely proper” each time he argued with me- simply to take the battle out of it. He finally bought actually offended after I did that as a result of he knew why I did it. (To attract consideration to his argumentativeness and dip out) He retains my abdomen in knots! It feels abusive and unkind. He says he adores me and is loopy about me! 

Reply: Understanding individuals and accepting that we’re totally different is essential to forming wholesome relationships. Utilizing assessments such because the Myers Briggs, or the Enneagram may be helpful is defining particular methods individuals see the world and performance in it. I’m not an professional on the Enneagram take a look at, however I do discover it useful to acknowledge and outline extra of our inside motivations – what drives us to do what we do. 

For instance, you stated you suppose your husband is an 8 on the Enneagram. The Challenger-8, likes to problem, to argue, to debate, to query. He doesn’t settle for issues at face worth. He desires you to show it to him. You, the Helper-2, love peace, getting together with others, accommodating individuals, and being useful. You don’t wish to argue or show something. You wish to get alongside and have everybody play good.

Understanding the Enneagram is extra advanced than simply defining your kind. There are wings and totally different methods for the way one handles stress. There are not any “dangerous” sorts. Every quantity (9 in whole) is totally different, and every has its strengths and weaknesses. However to summarize, every quantity on the Enneagram has a wholesome approach of functioning and an unhealthy approach of functioning. For instance, the unhealthy Helper-2, is a individuals pleaser, rescuing, enabling, and ignoring their very own wants. They keep away from battle at their very own peril. The unhealthy 8 is argumentative, insensitive, typically merciless, and belligerent, ignoring that different individuals could have reliable totally different views.

Your husband is who he’s –a challenger. That’s not unfavourable or sinful. John the Baptist was most likely an 8 on the Enneagram, continually difficult the Pharisees and their hypocrisy. The larger query is whether or not your partner is conscious of his “kind” and the place he goes when he will get burdened or unhealthy. In case your husband is often unhealthy and unaware, he could change into domineering and abusive in his difficult methods.

You’re who you’re. You’re naturally a pleaser and helper. You’re delicate. That’s not sinful or unfavourable. That’s what makes you a 2. If you happen to have a tendency in direction of unhealthy options, you could over-function, really feel resentful for all you do for others, take issues too personally, and collapse to keep away from battle. 

Due to this fact, my suggestion because you’ve discovered this take a look at useful is to ask your self what do it’s good to be taught or how do it’s good to change/develop in an effort to change into the healthiest model of you? The you that God created you to be? (Psalm 139)

Irrespective of how wholesome you change into, you’ll by no means change into a challenger or get pleasure from being challenged. However as you develop assured and wholesome in who God made you to be, you may be taught to reply to your challenger husband with out getting defensive for being delicate or reactive when being questioned.

Right here are some things you would possibly attempt to say to him when he challenges or disagrees with you.

“I do know you suppose quick and all the time have a come-back why you disagree, however I don’t suppose that approach. I must take time to course of, so I’m going to consider what you stated and I’ll get again to you after I’m prepared.”

“It’s not that I feel I’m proper and also you’re fallacious, however I feel we have now totally different wants or desires or priorities right here.” (For instance, maybe he values saving cash so he doesn’t wish to purchase new furnishings, and also you worth having a fairly and comfy house, so that you want to purchase new furnishings). “How would possibly we resolve this dilemma in a approach that’s a win/win for us each?”

“I’m delicate. I like that I’m delicate, God made me that approach. And since I’m delicate I discover and really feel issues that maybe you don’t since you are made totally different. May God need me that can assist you be taught to be extra delicate generally? Similar to God could use you to assist me suppose extra critically about issues?”

“I’d prefer to share my ideas and I’d such as you to simply pay attention earlier than you remark or disagree. The truth is, I would like you to attend and take into consideration what I’ve to say earlier than you reply. Are you prepared to try this for me?”

You stated your husband tells you he adores you and is loopy about you. I encourage you to do your individual work to be a wholesome and powerful you. That may enable you to not be as simply intimidated by his challenges nicely as face and deal with battle in a constructive approach. As you get more healthy, your husband may want to get more healthy, or he could attempt to bully you again into your previous methods. That gives you a clearer image of whether or not or not you may keep nicely long-term.

Buddy, how have you ever realized to just accept character variations in these you’re in relationship with with out feeling disrespected or pondering they’re fallacious or you’re fallacious, while you would possibly simply be totally different?



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