Enneagram Type 2: Do You Really Know Yourself?

Powered by being close to others, Helpers thrive to help the ones in need. With their generous and empathetic nature, they try to make the world a better place for everyone even if that means sacrificing themselves. However, it is not uncommon that Helpers stop acknowledging their own needs in order to support and encourage the ones around them.

Center of Intelligence

Focus of Attention

At Their Best

At Their Worst

Basic Desire

Basic Fear

Key Motivation

In-Depth Description: Do You Really Know Yourself?

As implied, the second enneagram type gets its name from being the most genuinely helpful or the most devoted to feeling helpful personality type. They believe the most life enriching traits are being big-hearted and considerate of others. Their people-oriented spirit is what makes them not only great partners, but also great friends.

Needlessly to say that they enlighten other’s spirits with the warmth of their hearts. They have a special gift of seeing right through a person’s soul and appreciating them for who they truly are. By being devoted and patient, speaking to a Helper comes extremely easily. However, don’t be fooled! Although healthy Helpers will never refuse to lend a hand, they will also know when to let go and not be taken advantage of.

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Like anyone, Helpers also face their shadows from time to time. Unhealthy Twos have an especially hard time with their pride. It is not unusual that they parade their actions in order to seek validation of the people around them. Their enormous expectations from a helpful act comes from suppressing their own needs and feeling that self-sacrifice will make them worthy of the love of other, their basic desire. However, this constant repression will make them blow up sooner or later revealing all the angry and resentful feelings that were building up inside of them.

If Helpers find their way into self-acceptance, they can be the selfless person they admired to be all along. They are loving and supportive while recognizing the personal boundaries and space of others. Even in troubled times they have the ability to always recognize the silver lining in any situation and encouraging others to see things positively as well. Most importantly, Helpers are always eager to make people around them smile and feel appreciated.

Common Addictions Enneagram Type 2 ‘s Might Face

Helpers might struggle more than other types with the following:

Binge-eating:
Often, to fill the void they experience from neglecting their own needs, Helpers will binge-eat on sweets and rich foods.
Excessive use of over the counter (OTC) medications:
Constantly putting others first can be overwhelming for some Helpers.
Hypochondria:
As a means to gain the sympathy from others, Helpers might form serious cases of hypochondria.

Please, do not be afraid to reach out for help if you are experiencing any of these issues.

5 Common Enneagram Type 2 Careers

Helpers are often found in the following jobs:

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Non-Profit Leader
HR Manager
Nurse
Teacher
Counselor

Don’t see your job here? Share with the community in the comments how you are shaping the world in your career!

Enneagram Type 2 Growth Suggestions

No one is perfect – don’t be afraid of your flaws but try to rather accept and work on them to become a better person. Here are 5 recommendations any Helper can benefit from:

Self-Care comes first:
It is crucial for your self-growth to understand that caring about yourself first is anything other than selfish. By attending to your own needs, you will not only be happier in general but also able to better attend to other’s problems without feeling resentful nor frustrated.
Ask before helping:
It can be hard for you to give people their personal space. Although you can simply feel that someone is feeling bad, ask the person if they want to be helped other than giving your advice right away. Be aware that if someone refuses your help this does not mean that they don’t like you.

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Don’t expect a return from your actions:
Be aware of the motives of your actions. Wanting a big return for being the generous person you are will only make you feel disappointed once these expectations are not met.
Affection comes in various forms:
Learn to recognize and accept the love people around you are transmitting to you. Everyone has a different way to communicate their affections, it does not always come with big words or gestures.
Your worth goes beyond your selfless actions:
Recognize that people are not merely keeping you in their lives because of what you offer, but because they care about the person that you are. You don’t have to prove yourself repeatedly by gestures of great generosity. Accept that your personality goes much deeper than what you give.