Sometimes our personalities get covered with a shiny coat of expectations that don’t necessarily reflect what’s happening underneath.

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You may recall from the Introduction that 95% of everything we do, think, believe, and feel takes place below our general level of awareness. Pause for a moment with that statement.

Feedback from other people plays a role in shaping our personalities as well.

The grounded body, open heart, and quiet mind are well-known in the Enneagram field as the three centers of intelligence.

Inner Critic Message: “You are responsible for making sure everyone gets along and feels happy. Don’t blow it!” Resulting Thought: “If I express my real opinion on this topic, it will start a huge argument. I don’t want to rock the boat, so I won’t say anything.”

Keep in mind that our personality is not just connected to our thoughts. It’s ingrained in every part of our finite nature: in our bodies and the sensations they carry, in our hearts and the range of feelings we habitually experience,

our intention is to learn how to distinguish between personality patterns that reveal our innate gifts when we are more present and those that get in the way of our true well-being by having a grip on us. Being

in stark contrast to actively trying to fix something or make yourself better? Instead of pushing for change, it involves relaxing into yourself—not holding onto your ideas about who you think you are so tightly. You may notice that your heart begins to open more as your body releases some of its tension.