Returning to Myself Again
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How often have you found yourself saying “I haven’t been myself lately”?
It seems easier to know when we aren’t ourselves than when we are.
I had a client say recently that she was finally “moving out from under the burden of overwhelming responsibility and returning to (her)self again.”
That struck me. What does it mean to return to self? Why does it get so hard to stay connected to who we are without the pull of who we think we are supposed to be?
There are so many forces that take us away from who we are at our core. As my client found, overwhelming responsibility can take us away. So can self-deception, illness, toxic relationships, grief, excessive external expectations, and internalized beliefs.
So how do we “return to ourselves” again?
As a coach, I want to be a strong mirror for my clients to see their full selves in a way that allows them to enjoy and embrace who they are. I also want to create a safe space so they can expand into owning their strengths and their shadow traits more fully. That’s why I’ve spent the past two years studying the Enneagram system and integrating it into my coaching practice. Like the Myers-Briggs Typing Inventory (MBTI), the Enneagram system provides a framework for understanding ourselves (and each other) more easily. The path back to our true selves isn’t generally clear and direct. We are human, and therefore messy and complex. We have to find our way back over and over again. Understanding your enneagram type can provide a shortcut to the path back while also providing a framework for growth and healing.
Later this month, my sister Karen and I will be teaching a two-part introduction called Discover Your Enneagram Type to Deepen your Self-Understanding in St. Paul, MN. We want to bring the power of the Enneagram to a wider audience, and we’d love to see you there. For additional information about the workshop and to register, click here.
Returning to self is a powerful concept. It’s an even more powerful experience. I hope you can join us for this workshop!
(Updated 5/4/17 – We had so much fun with our first workshop in March, that we are offering a second one in St. Paul on May 19 & 20th. Additional information available on the events page of this site.)
