Stress is the body’s response to any situation that needs close attention. Everyone goes through stressful times in their life. The same is applicable for Enneagram 6 personality type individuals. Hence, identifying the stress triggers of Enneagram 6 can help them deal with their stress better. If you are not sure of your type, then take an online enneagram test, the Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator to know the same.
Several factors result in stress among all personality types belonging to the Enneagram system. They drain out the mental and physical energies of an individual. Enneagram Sixes tend to suffer from the same when they argue with their loved ones or a co-worker.
In this article, we will have a detailed discussion about the stress triggers of Enneagram 6. We will briefly talk about the steps they can take to tackle stressful situations –
Stress Triggers of Enneagram 6
The stress triggers of enneagram 6 refer to all those factors that cause anxiety, stress, and tension among these individuals while undertaking different kinds of responsibilities in their life. They can adversely impact their physical and mental well-being.
An Enneagram Six is a genuine, committed, and trustworthy individual. They love holding on to those thoughts and relationships, which let them feel safe in a possibly dangerous world. These people are generous and know how to take necessary precautions. Sixes are truly amazing at how they prepare themselves against potential threats. One can always expect these individuals to remain steady even when things do not go as per plan. They adopt a methodical approach to solving problems. These enneagram 6s know how to make projects that are feasible and would let them serve society.
Despite all these good qualities that exist within these people, it does not take long for them to get their minds stuck into catastrophic mode. In that situation, they keep worrying about the events that might take place in the future. These Enneagram 6s are known as Loyalists. They get this tag due to their dependable and faithful nature. They possess a good sense of humor as well. If they connect these individuals with Myers and Briggs types, Enneagram 6s traits are a combination of ISFJ, ISTJ, and ISFP personalities. These personalities under the Myers-Briggs type have a mix of sensing, feeling, thinking, and perceiving characteristics. They are also visible among Sixes.
On the one hand, where Sixes are angels for their loved ones and close friends. On the other hand, they tend to be quite skeptical of this world. They will never accept any theory or statement lying down. These people would like to analyze and question the validity of ideas and only after getting a satisfactory explanation, will they consider them to be true. They always tend to look at everything around them with suspicion. Due to this reason, Sixes can easily develop anxiety and soon come under stress.
Several stress triggers appear in an Enneagram 6 personality type individual. Let us now briefly talk about how Sixes respond to stress, which creates issues in their personal and professional lives –
1. When They Are Around Unreliable People
Enneagram 6 personality types are loyal individuals. People can easily rely on them during their times of need. They know that Sixes would always offer their helping hands and pull them out of trouble. These enneagrams can step into others’ shoes and make decisions from their perspectives. Sixes do so for those individuals, with whom they share a good rapport.
Now, there are circumstances when Enneagram 6s are bound to put up with unfaithful people. They are the ones who say something but do just the opposite in their life. Those scenarios put Sixes under severe stress and tension.
2. Negativity Surrounding Their Environment
Enneagram 6s often think that something bad would happen in their lives. They start to doubt whether they are capable of handling those unforeseen circumstances. Despite entertaining these negative thoughts, they always remain on the lookout for positive energies in their surroundings.
These personality types of individuals cannot tolerate negative people. Sixes look for ways to keep themselves away from them, as they cause stress and anxiety. Reading motivational books in those times can help them change their mindset to a great extent.
3. Feeling Like People Do Not Need Them
People must make Enneagram 6s feel that they are an important part of life. In both their personal and professional lives, an enneagram six would feel happy if people pay heed to their advice and act accordingly. Unfortunately, not everything goes according to how we plan our lives. The same thing applies to these enneagrams as well.
Therefore, people may not always give too much importance to the suggestions put forward by an Enneagram 6. When that happens, these individuals would start feeling as if they are no longer needed in their lives. Negative thoughts begin to consume their mind, which ultimately leads them toward stressful times.
4. Making Irrelevant Decisions
Every individual in this world has a way of reacting to situations and making decisions while leading their life. There are some decisions, which turn out to be ideally suited for specific scenarios. While people can often make wrong or irrelevant decisions as well. They may not meet the demands of those scenarios.
These things can happen in the lives of individuals now and then. Rather than cursing themselves for wrong judgments and decisions, people can learn from their mistakes, so that they do not repeat them in the future. It is not easy for an Enneagram 6 to do the same. Whenever they make any irrelevant or inappropriate decision, it leads to chaos, and discomfort, which ultimately causes stress among these people.
5. Anxiousness about the Future
Enneagram 6s are true experts when it comes to preparing for something that might take place in the future. Even then, they keep thinking about what might go wrong. Stress can be triggered by being anxious about an upcoming situation they have not faced earlier.
No one knows what might happen in the future. Therefore, there is always a sense of uncertainty surrounding it. This is something that an Enneagram 6 personality type individual does not relish in their life.
How Will Enneagram 6 Cope with Stress?
When an Enneagram 6 individual faces stressful circumstances in their life, they start portraying specific traits that are not in line with their personality type. They make others feel that sixes are only a shadow of their usual selves.
Enneagram 6s, at their best, show generosity and put their thinking caps on while guiding their friends and colleagues toward positive directions. No matter what problem they face, an enneagram 6 always manages to come out of those situations without any fuss. They can keep themselves cool with utmost ease. The situation changes when stress takes control of their lives. It makes these people less active than they are. Sixes would prefer to spend time getting things back under control.
Therefore, it is important that whoever suffers from the adverse effects of stress, must know how to de-stress, and relax. People of various personalities adopt different ways to get rid of stress and peacefully lead their lives. Enneagram 6 personality type people also have certain ways to tackle stress and make their lives peaceful.
It is now time to look at some of the stress-busting techniques which Enneagram 6s adopt to come out of stress and attain peace –
1. Focus on Staying in the Present
The best method that Enneagram 6 can adopt for dealing with stress is to stay in the present. They must not worry about what lies ahead in the future. Sixes need to understand that certain things in life are beyond anyone’s control.
They can only plan and hope that things will turn out in their favor. When things do not go as per plan, one must avoid feeling stressed in life. Sixes must treat them as opportunities to focus on their current responsibilities and fulfill their expectations.
2. Practice Gratitude
Life always has plenty to offer that individuals must gleefully accept and enjoy. While good times bring happiness, bad times come as lessons for people to learn and move on to their next set of challenges. It is even more applicable when an Enneagram 6 suffers from stress.
In this situation, they must start practicing the art of gratitude. Sixes must thank life for everything it has given to them all these years. They should take those situations where their plans do become successful as lessons for improving their personalities.
3. Focus on Things That Are Authentic and Dependable
When an Enneagram 6 person grapples under stress and tension, they must avoid paying attention or spending unnecessary time on those things that lack genuineness. Even if you have the slightest bit of doubt regarding someone you can depend upon, make sure to stay away from them.
Ideally, Sixes should invest their time and energy in those things or individuals they know would not betray them in the long run. It would help them relax and attain peace of mind. Moreover, they can assist them in their personal growth.
4. Share Your Concerns with People Close to You
It is always a great idea to interact and share your problems with people who are close to you in your life. Enneagram 6s can benefit a lot from discussing all those things that are causing stress in their life. Doing so can invite various tips and suggestions from their loved ones.
They will make sure that Sixes follow their advice and find peace of mind. Whether they get in touch with their family members or friends, those individuals will make am Enneagram 6 realize that life does not always guarantee that only good things will occur. There will be moments when one must sustain tough times. The only thing is that a person should never stop believing in themselves. Gradually, life will present them with the best of everything that it has to offer.
5. Follow Through on Their Commitments
There are occasions when it becomes difficult for an Enneagram 6 to fulfill its promises. As they are particular about the same, their inability to do so can put them under stress. Therefore, maintaining a proper schedule of their responsibilities can help them deal with this situation.
Sixes can maintain their calmness and avoid stress by setting priorities for things they need to do. Initially, they can concentrate on taking care of those requiring immediate attention. Once they deal with those, they can move forward toward fulfilling all other commitments. It can go a long way toward ensuring the mental satisfaction of these Enneagrams.
6. Resort to Deep Breathing Exercises
An Enneagram 6 personality type can release stress by resorting to deep breathing exercises. They can increase their oxygen exchange, which helps reduce blood pressure and make the heart rate slow. It also releases any tension that might exist inside the abdomen.
The cumulative effect of these things can significantly reduce the stress level among Sixes. Their restless attitude no longer stays, hence giving way to calmness and peace of mind. Even though breathing exercises may not be a complete stress-management technique, there is clinical proof of the fact that they can significantly reduce the symptoms of anxiety or stress.
7. Listening to Music
Music always offers an effective remedy for managing one’s stress and attaining relaxation. It is applicable if a person listens to songs with a slower tempo. Those tunes can help quieten the mind and relax the muscles. Therefore, a tense individual can experience a soothing effect while getting rid of stress.
Therefore, Enneagram 6s can easily indulge themselves in listening to soulful music after a hard day’s work or whenever they are reeling under stress and tension. It can have a massive impact on their mind and body, making them feel fresh and energetic.
8. Make Sure to Spend Sufficient Time Alone
Enneagram 6 personality type individuals can let themselves come out of stress if they manage to spend sufficient time with themselves. As these people possess traits of both introversion and extroversion in their personality. There is no better time to focus on their introverted qualities, especially when they have stress.
Introverts gain a lot of energy by spending sufficient time alone. Demands of the outside world or being with fake people can be overwhelming for Sixes to handle. Under those circumstances, spending quality time alone can help them gather their thoughts and focus on things that require immediate attention.
Final Words
In this article, we have discussed several stress triggers of Enneagram 6 personality type individuals. It has also mentioned different ways to help these individuals handle stress and attain peace of mind.
Sixes must adapt themselves to get along with all kinds of people. It is because, no matter how much they try to avoid interacting with unreliable individuals in their lifetime, an Enneagram 6 would find it tough to execute their plan. Moreover, they must learn to live with the mystery that a future event holds within itself.
