Enneagram type two, also known as "the helper", "the nurturer", "the empath", and more. While all of these statements are true, live can get a little rough living this way. It's hard to be someone who cares too much all the time. To be someone who is so worried about what others are thinking about you and how others are feeling. If you are an enneagram type two, you are probably always putting everyone else's feelings before your own. Although this is something that you love to do and you want people to know that you are there for them, you would also like someone to do the same for you.
As a type two, it is so important to remember self care. Your friends and family love you no matter what, so stepping away isn't going to hurt anyones feelings. And the truth is, if it doesn't, then they're not really your friend. The feelings aren't there and you need to stop putting forth the effort. As a type two, there are so many ways to take care of yourself while also overly caring for the people in your life. Some things I enjoy doing is journal, coloring, turning off my phone for a few hours, or finding that one person that is actually willing to listen to you and try to understand why this is hard.
For me personally, being a type two has made me absorb the emotions of the people around me which can cause a great deal of stress when it's completely unecessary. I have found myself in in places where I am completely overwhelmed and sometimes can't deal with my own problems because of the information coming at me from my friends.
Now, while all of that might sound counter intuitive, let me reiterate real quick. I LOVE talking to my friends, I love critical thinking and helping them through situations that they can't seem to get through on their own. I love listening to them rant whether or be good or bad, but being a type two with crazy anxiety and stress, sometimes I feel like I have multiple personalities that are fighting with each other and I can't exactly handle it.
If you have a type two in your life, please just understand these couple of things:
1. They love you with their whole heart. They want to be there for you, they want to listen to you, but if they shut down it's nothing personal. Please just understand.
2. Give them a hug. Sometimes the smallest gestures mean the world to type twos. Tell them that you recognize their efforts and their hard work. Don't let them go unnoticed. This could be happening without you even realizing it.
3. Lastly, invite them to an activity that will make you both forget about the world for a couple of hours. Everyone is going through it, but as an empath, sometimes it hits us a littler harder. We all need to forget.
Your type two friends love you, but sometimes we need some of that love back.
