Enneagram + Birth | Type 8

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8: THE CHALLENGER

“Eights are self-confident, strong, and assertive. Protective, resourceful, straight-talking, and decisive, but can also be ego-centric and domineering. Eights feel they must control their environment, especially people, sometimes becoming confrontational and intimidating. Eights typically have problems with their tempers and with allowing themselves to be vulnerable. At their Best: self- mastering, they use their strength to improve others’ lives, becoming heroic, magnanimous, and inspiring.”

INSIGHTS:

• Eights are up for the challenge of birth and may desire to do it on their own (with little support).

• Birth is a vulnerable event, something that eights struggle with.

• Consider your wing – as seen above, it could come in handy during labor.

HOMEWORK:

• Allow yourself to be vulnerable this week. Talk to your partner or birth team about your fears, goals, or things you’re looking forward to in birth. Don’t hold back.

• If choosing to hire a doula, make sure you’ve found someone that knows you and compliments your personality. Maybe even another eight? Your strong-willedness could intimidate the wrong person. Most doulas should be able to work with lots of different personality types, but it’s worth bringing up.