Self Care For Enneagram Type 5
Taking care of yourself is more than just bubble baths and fancy lotion. True self care considers the whole self: body, mind, and spirit. And when you know your enneagram type, it is easier to find the kind of self care practices that suit you best. Finding the balance between taking care of others and ourselves alone, can feel like unbelievably impossible task, but when you know a few shortcuts it is easier than you think. Fill your cup first, and let the overflow bless others.
Today, we are focusing on enneagram type five and what self care practices serve them most.
1.Rest
Enneagram type fives have a limited amount of energy. They can easily use up this energy on the wrong things, forgetting to prioritize and finding themselves completely burnt out. Prioritizing how to spend their time is definitely a skill they can learn to add to their "toolbox," but this goes hand in hand with how they allow themselves rest. They literally need at least an hour every day with no people in their space. This recharges type five like nothing else.
They might use this time to:
Actually take a nap
Read in peace and quiet
Sit quietly with a cup of tea or coffee
Take a bath
Watch a movie
Notice how all of the things on the list above take little or no energy? Fives need this "no energy hour," built into their day for them to feel "up to" engaging in the many things they are capable of doing. They are a very independent type, as well as resourceful, and wise. However, when pushed too hard by those around them, they may retreat and become resentful. Forced rest is very different from intentional rest. It's much better for fives to plan rest into their day, than to have to withdraw based on burnout.
2. Moving the Body
Fives are in the head triad, making them rely on their logic, and neglect action. They love to plan, follow rules, and problem solve. However, they easily get stuck in their own head space, and withdraw instead of moving into action. They are what we call, "doing repressed." This means it's harder for them to get moving. They want to research options, think about everything... again, check sources, and prove things.
Self care for fives needs to include moving the body. This not only helps active their repressed center (doing) but brings all the centers into balance, especially with a practice like yoga. Any kind of regular movement is positive and has positive impact, but we think yoga impacts fives the most. This practice has a focus on connecting the mind to the body- which is exactly what enneagram type five needs.
Start today:
Join a Yoga class, or look up youtube yoga videos to do at home
Take a daily walk
Commit 5 minutes to stretching every morning and night
Decide on what works best for you and plug it in to your schedule
3.Journaling
Journaling is a wonderful practice for every type, but especially for type fives who have a lot going on in their inner world. This heady type will benefit from getting some of those thoughts down on paper. There are many different styles of journaling. Fives might like bullet journaling,listing out the things on their mind, or "brain dumping," writing everything on their mind until they feel like they've emptied the load.
Fives are anchored to the past, based on their enneagram stance. This might cause them to reflect more on what has happened, instead of goals for the future, or what is happening right now. A great growth challenge for fives, would be to intentionally choose a present, or even future focus to write about.
Start Now:
Dedicate 5-10 minutes a day to journaling
Focus on the future: what do I want to accomplish?
Think about the present: what is going in my life right now? positives? areas that need work?
Reflect on gratefulness throughout your journaling session
Isn't it wonderful to realize how different we all are? We all need multiple ways to connect and take care of ourselves. The enneagram is such an amazing tool to help us do this! I hope this post has given you insight into what an enneagram type 5 needs for self care.
Our Self Care Kit is available in instant digital download form, so you could be using it and benefiting from it today! It's also available in a brand new hard copy version!
Every self care practice you find in the kit, we incorporate into our special enneagram self care getaway weekends! This is something for people who really want to work on themselves, find solutions to self care, their enneagram type, and spend a weekend away relaxing!
Join us for our Spring Retreat! This would be the perfect gift for someone special this Christmas- a dreamy weekend to look forward to!
May you find rest and peace as you discover your true self!
Blessings,
The EnneaSisters!