What is the stress and growth of the enneagram 2? Find out in this blog where we break down the enneagram type 2s stress and growth numbers!
What Is Enneagram Stress And Growth?
As you probably know, the enneagram is shaped like a clock with lines connecting each number to 2 others. These lines represent our stress and growth. When we are in stress, we take on the behaviors of a different type and in growth, we take on the behaviors of another.
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Our enneagram type does not change as we move between stress and growth. Our core desire remains the same however, how we try to fulfill our core desire changes based on whether we are in a stressed state or in our growth.
The Enneagram Actually Grows Both Ways!
We actually are supposed to grow towards both numbers that our enneagram type is connected to, taking on the healthy aspects of both types. And vise versa, we can be stressed and take on the behaviors of either number we are connected to but there is a number that we need to reach into for more growth and one we reach to more easily in stress.
In this blog, we are covering what the stress and growth numbers of the enneagram 2 are including signs that you are in stress, signs you are in growth, and how to step into your growth. Enjoy!
Enneagram 2 Overview
The enneagram type two is called The Helper. Your core desire is to help and be of service to others.
Common traits of a 2 are…
- Kind
- Generous
- Giving
- Polite
- Compassionate
- Empathetic
- Welcoming
- Friendly
- Selfless
- And Attentive
As a 2, your core desire comes from the fear that if you don’t devote yourself to helping others, you are unworthy of love. Being selfish and expressing yourself doesn’t come naturally to you.
Enneagram 2 In Stress
In stress, the enneagram 2 takes on the negative traits of the enneagram 8, The Challenger.
The normally kind and caring type 2 becomes aggressive and blunt. Instead of serving from a place of pure love, they help with the expectation to get approval in return. And when they don’t get that, the enneagram 2 becomes upset and represses their needs even more.
Enneagram 2s are meant to be helpers, nurturers’, supporters, and protectors. But an enneagram 2 in stress believes that their only purpose is to serve people and they forgo their sense of self, repress their needs, and get burnt out
As the enneagram 2 is part of the Shame Triad, shame is the trigger for type 2s to go into stress, specifically, the feeling that if they don’t serve, they are unworthy of love.
The type 2s core desire is to help whether that’s through community work, their career, or through coaching. It is good for 2s to do this, it fuels them. But this becomes expressed in a negative way when they go into their type 8 stress, they take on”selfish selflessness,” helping others in hopes that their selflessness with be reciprocated back to them.
Signs You Are An Enneagram 2 In Stress…
- Over-giving
- Focused on busy-work
- Passive-aggressive
- You are out of touch with what you feel
- Silent treatment to “Chatty Cathy”
- Frequently asking others if they need your help
- Defensive
- Hiding your authentic self
- Repressing your feelings
- You don’t know what you want
- Martyrdom
- You feel like everyone else is selfish
- Viewing yourself as a “black-sheep”
A type 2 goes into stress by having their childhood wound triggered. A situation happens (,or many situations) where their childhood belief of “I have to serve to be loved” is brought back to the surface and so they go into “selfless mode” to avoid being abandoned.
Should type 2s avoid situations entirely where this belief may get triggered? No, that would be ridiculous. Mindfulness is key here. If we can notice when our childhood beliefs get triggered and pay attention to the negative behaviors that we start using in reaction to it, then we can start healing ourselves and work on stepping into growth.
Enneagram 2 In Growth
In growth, the enneagram 2 takes on the positive traits of the enneagram 4, The Individualist.
The selfless and giving type 2 embraces individuality, creativity, and, most importantly, self-empowerment. An enneagram 2 in growth learns that they are worthy of care and they learn to take care of themselves.
The best word to describe type 2s growth is think.
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Although the type 2s growth is the emotionally in tune type 4, a 2 in growth learns to not let their powerful empathic nature lead the way and see feelings through a rational lens.
A 2 in growth thinks about what they want, think about their opinion on things, and think in situations where they feel their empathy is being used. Instead of feeling conflicted over what they and everyone else is feeling, they embrace the type 4’s “it is what it is” mindset.
Type 2s have compassion and kindness like no other, but it takes them stepping into their growth number of the type 4, setting boundaries, and giving to themselves to truly share that kindness in the best way.
An enneagram 2 in growth also learns that their creativity is a service to others. Type 2s tend to see the world as a place of survival, there’s no space for creative expression, and they just have to make sure everyone stays alive.
But in their growth number of the 4, enneagram 2s know that they have space to follow their expression and change the world by sharing it. In doing so, an enneagram 2 becomes authentic, empowered, relaxed, and finds more connection with others.
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Signs You Are An Enneagram 2 In Growth…
- Expressive
- Authenticity
- No internal conflict
- You feel an energetic/emotional boundary between others and yourself
- You make time to create
- Vision for your future
- You know what you desire
- Creative flow
- You set boundaries
- Honesty
- You’re not instinctively saying “do you need help?”
- Embracing your quirkiness
- Empowerment
Stepping Into Growth As An Enneagram 2
So how can we move from stress and growth as an enneagram 2? To 2s, this growth number can sound ridiculous. “You want me to be an eccentric and artistic 4? No thanks!”
We think that our growth number means that we have to forgo our personality but this is not the truth. Type 2s, you are meant to be your caring and protective self and it would be ridiculous to ask you to be any different!
Remember that growth for you, type 2, isn’t about just the actions you do, it’s about the mindset you embrace.
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We can often think we are stepping into our enneagram’s growth number by doing different things on our reality when, in fact, we are just avoiding change.
While the enneagram 2s growth is about being quirky and creative in general, the deeper part of the Helpers’ growth is about learning to find true individuality and live their life aligned with that sense of self.
The core of a type 2s growth means learning to see the world past the paradigm of “protect and serve,” and start seeing it through the lens of “live and inspire.” What do you want your life to feel like? What’s the big picture desire?
While helping loved ones is necessary for your fulfillment, start noticing when that’s all you are living for.
A healthy 2 learns to recognize when they are feeling like an over-giver and say “okay, I recognize how I am serving right now because it makes me feel important. What is my creative desire? How can I express myself authentically?”
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Try recognizing any time you start using your helper nature to feel needed and focus on cultivating an intrinsic sense of self.
A type 2 can embrace their growth by finding a creative hobby, repeating worthiness affirmations, writing down their boundaries, and by journaling their emotions.
Give yourself permission to be an individual in the world.
When you are in your stress and being selfless, ask yourself “what would I express if I believed I deserved to share it?”
How do you step into growth as an enneagram 2? Let us know in the comments. Hope this blog helped you understand the stress and growth of the enneagram 2!
Related Blogs:
- Enneagram 3 In Stress & Growth
- Enneagram 1 In Stress & Growth
- 16 Gift Ideas For The Enneagram 2
- Enneagram 2w1 VS 2w3 Comparison: Which Wing Are You?
- Mindfulness For Enneagram 2s
Pin This To Your Enneagram 2 Boards
Isabelle!
Thank you so much for putting together such lovely gift guides and for all of the work you do!
Peace upon you always,
Katie
Thanks Katie! Needed to hear this today.