Kelly White
- Jan 6
- 3 min read

Self Care for Enneagram Type 8

Welcome back to our series on self care for each enneagram type! Taking time to do the things that feed your body, soul, and mind are what make us who we really want to be. We want to take it even one step further, tailoring a specific self care practice that suits the strengths and weaknesses of each enneagram type. (get our complete self care guide here)

Today we are talking about self care for enneagram type 8!

Enneagram type eight likes to have control over their own environments. They are a strong and powerful type who speak their minds boldly. They also value efficiency, and forward thinking. So what kind of self care should eights focus on?

Let's talk about 3 Self Care Tips to get Eights Started:

Tip #1: Slow Down

Eights make decisions quickly, and sometimes bulldoze over others and their feelings because they can see the fastest way to do something. Slowing down is the first tip for eights, that has many benefits for this type. In moving more slowly, other skills will develop that feed the inner self of type eight. Underneath that hard exterior, eights are innocent, kind people who want to help and protect others. To get to this softer side eights can:

Practice 5 minutes of quiet meditation

Be still. Stay in the present. Allow thoughts to come, and go. Focus on breathing deeply. Listen to the air filling the lungs, expanding, and releasing. These five minutes might be the most important in the day of a type eight. Realizing that they can just be still is a major first step of growth and self care for eights.

Tip #2: Releasing Energy Through Movement

Type eight has the most energy of all of the enneagram types. They carry it with them wherever they go, and it is felt by others simply through their presence. This kind of energy can explode easily if proper self care is not taken. Eight need an outlet that is positive to channel all of that powerful energy into.

Practice powerful-challenging movement

This will look different for each person. It might be rock climbing on the weekends, or kayaking through a challenging river. Take an idea that excites and challenges you physically, to feel the release of carrying so much energy. A weekly challenge is a great goal for eights, but remember to also move your body everyday. Go for a morning run, hike, or bike ride. Try a kickboxing class. Go snowboarding with a friend and try the risky hills.

The release of extra energy helps eights feel balanced, calmer, and ready to help others. This kind of self care truly combats some of type eights major issues. The anger that sits right on the surface, recedes. Compassion for others can be found more easily, and they are much more likely to take in information from those around them after feeling refreshed from both the endorphins rushing through the body and the release of the mind.

Tip #3: Journaling (specifically about feelings)

You've heard it before if you have been following this series. (and it won't be easy for eights) We recommend journaling for every type, and for aggressive types like type eight- journaling with a focus on feelings and emotions.

Why?

Eights are feelings repressed. They have a hard time recognizing the emotions of themselves and others, and make decision based on intuition and what they know for sure. Their world is black and white... emotions make up a rainbow.

How?

We encourage eights to write down in a private journal whenever they detect emotion of any kind- theirs, someone else's, either way. This practice gets them in the habit of looking for feelings. When they are on the lookout for emotions, it will help them become more aware on a regular basis of how they feel and that their actions cause certain feelings in others. This connection is key for self care and growth in type eight.

We hope these tips bring light and real solutions to your self care practices and that you will incorporate them into your daily life. Are you a type 8? Do you love a type 8? Let us know how you are using the tips today!

For an all inclusive guide to self care for all the types, check out are lovely workbook below: