Turning 30 and then eventually, 40 (gasp) really didn’t phase me. I like to joke around with people who ask how it feels by saying, “It’s glorious. I feel like my age is finally catching up with my soul.” As an old soul since the womb, this really does feel accurate. I’ve always felt a kinship with those older than me. As a kid, I used to hang out for strangely long stretches at the dinner table to listen to conversations my parents would have with their dinner guests. They seemed far more interesting than the make-believe dialog happening in the playroom. When given the choice to linger at the adult table or play with barbies amongst the other youngsters, 11 times out of 10 I’d choose the first.

This balances out nicely when you’re a bit older and have the freedom to hang with whomever you choose, but in grade school and adolescence, it’s brutal. I perpetually felt misunderstood, alone, and longing for something deeper.

Enter Enneagram.

When I first discovered the Enneagram 14 years ago, I felt a massive wave of relief wash over me, explaining answers to angry questions I’d been asking God for a long time. Why did I do the things I did? How could I learn to make peace with the complex and often terrorizing crew of emotions always up loud? Could anyone explain the inadequacy and longing raging deep inside?

When I read about the character structure for the Enneagram Type Four, or Individualist, I quickly discovered the foreign language I’d been speaking all along was not what was wrong with me, but what was right with me. In fact, there were others who spoke this language and an entire road map dedicated to us who felt all the same feelings and needed all the same help. I wasn’t, in fact, underdressed and a day late to the ball. (God forbid ever showing up underdressed to a party. My Mama taught me better.)

Do you long for a deeper sense of self-understanding? Perhaps you’ve been asking yourself “why?” for quite a while now and are ready for some answers.

If so, I want to invite you to join me this month in the Practice, my monthly self-care & Enneagram subscription program, where we deep dive into new Enneagram depths. You’ll get  a front-row seat to my interview with Beatrice Chestnut, best-selling author of The Complete Enneagram: 27 Paths to Greater Self-Knowledge and subtype guru. You’ll also receive meditations specific to your type and a brand new online Enneagram assessment created by Beatrice. Sign up here today.

I believe the Enneagram is much more than a personality test. It’s an open-ended invitation to embodying the truest version of you. Now that’s a party we don’t want to miss.

It’s also a gentle and wise companion for your everyday experience.

Trust is built over time and baked in safety. We’ve come a long way together. I can’t wait to write this next chapter of the story together.