Why You Might Resist Your Type at First

Ever take a personality test and think: “I hope I’m not that one…” Or worse: you are that one, and it kind of stings?

You’re not alone.

It’s surprisingly common to resist the Enneagram type that most closely matches our patterns. It can feel frustrating, unflattering, or just… off.

But what if that discomfort isn’t a sign you’ve mistyped, but rather a sign you’re getting closer to something real?

The Enneagram isn’t interested in your highlight reel. It’s not built to flatter or label you. It’s built to reveal you. And sometimes that means holding up a mirror to parts of ourselves we’d rather not see.

We resist our type for different reasons:

• It feels too vulnerable. Maybe it names an inner fear we’ve never said out loud- and that alone makes us want to "shut the book" and walk away.

• It doesn’t match how others see us. You might be known as confident, kind, or laid-back… and your type seems messier than that.

• It challenges a story we’ve built about ourselves. A type might call out your need for control, your habit of over-accommodating, or your craving to be seen. And even if it’s true, that can feel exposing.

• It highlights blind spots. And blind spots, by nature, aren’t things we’re excited to recognize.

  
  

But here’s the beauty of it: The parts of your type you initially resist are often the exact areas with the most potential for healing.

You’re not meant to stay in your type box. The point isn’t to cling tighter to a label- it’s to grow from it.

The Enneagram offers a kind of spiritual frame, but not a fence. It's helpful to support your unfolding- not contain it.

And just as importantly: There is no “better” type.

Every type comes with incredible gifts, tender longings, and old habits that friends or partners may not always understand.

Some of those habits, such as over-planning, withdrawing, people-pleasing, or needing to be the best, can confuse others. But they usually stem from a motivation that makes sense once you understand the deeper need beneath it.

The Enneagram helps you trace the thread.

So if you're feeling hesitant about your type, try not to see that as a red flag. See it as an invitation. You’re already on the threshold of something real.

And once you recognize that discomfort as a signal, not of shame, but of growth, it becomes the trailhead. Or as I like to call it, the inner doorway.

You don’t need to figure it all out today. Just stay curious.

Still wrestling with your type? That’s more common than you think- and there’s no rush. If you’d like support in gently clarifying your type through an in-depth and thorough typing interview, I’d be honored to walk that path with you.

Book your typing interview here to begin your Inner Quest.

With love and breath,

Cathy

Inner Nature — Begin Within