Hello everyone! This week is the Type Two blog, and I am so excited for you guys to hear what my sweet friend, Maddie Bailey has to say! Maddie is one of the most thoughtful girls I know! A quick story to explain that, the 3rd day of training camp I needed to sleep in someone else’s tent because there were too many things wrong with mine, Maddie immediately offered even though we had only had one very brief conversation earlier that day (this girl isn’t even on my team!) All I can say is you spend a week in a tent with someone you just met, you get to know them very quickly! Maddie’s love for people goes far beyond sharing tents with strangers. She loves and cares deeply for others and is always willing to lend a hand whenever needed. She was so kind to write this blog for me and she has some great things to say!
Type Two: The Helper
Hello everyone! My name is Maddie Bailey, I am from Austin, Texas and I am currently on squad W with Makayla (I am also her best friend, so that’s pretty cool). Before we jump into this blog I’d like to tell you a little bit about myself. I grew up in Austin with my two amazing parents and our dog Stella, she’s a mess. I like to listen to music (mostly alternative and indie), spend time outside, go thrift shopping and hanging out with my friends. I’ve known I was going to do the World Race Gap year program since I was a sophomore and now I am here writing this blog to teach you a little bit about The Enneagram Type Two.
I have identified as a two on the enneagram for about six months, before I had never wanted to call myself a “two” because twos are the most mistyped number on The Enneagram. Twos are The Helpers, their main motive in life is to make people feel safe, comfortable and loved. Twos are natural givers but they are not the best at receiving. Twos are very work based, they believe they can’t be loved unless they have something to offer. Twos have a hard time creating boundaries because they love to fix and take on others burdens. Common questions twos ask others are “how are you doing? do you need anything? how can I help you?” They are very good at reading a room, most twos can sense what you need before you even need it and can analyze other people’s problems really well. However twos are not as good at analyzing themselves and their own needs and tend to forget to take care of themselves or even have a hard time letting others take care of them. Twos have a deep fear of being rejected once others learn about their needs and that they too need help. Even though a two’s love can be welcoming and full of pure intentions it can easily be twisted and used to manipulate others. An Unhealthy two can become exclusive with their love easily. All twos want to hear “You are wanted, you are loved and your works are appreciated”. A healthy two is extremely loving and helpful always looking to help others achieve their goals.
As a two on the world race I have tried to create a healthy balance between helping others and also helping myself. I have made it a priority to find people who pour into me well that way I am able to pour into others even better. Typically the world race is filled with twos because what better way to help others than going on a nine month mission trip! However our gap year squad only has a few. I think the world race is an amazing experience for everyone but I think it can be really amazing for those who type as twos because they are able to learn more about themselves and how they can help others well. A great example of a two in the Bible is John, John is the only apostle who stays with Jesus while he was on the cross. Johns main focus in the book of John and also his letters is love, which is a two’s life mission.
Dear Twos considering the World Race,
Your love for others is a powerful thing, your want to constantly help and welcome others is needed here but that is not the reason why you are loved. You are loved because you are a son or daughter in Christ, you are loved not because of the way you help others but because The Lord made you unique. You are loved because you are YOU. Prioritize your own mental health and don’t be afraid to ask others for help when you need it. You are being welcomed into a community full of people who want you to grow and growing IS GOOD! Seek out people outside of your team who want to pursue you well so you can pursue your team well and pursue your ministry well. Ask God to give you rest because you will need it ! Ask the Lord to make it clear when your love for others is pure and when your love is full of malice intentions. As a two your deadly sin is pride, yeah, yeah you can try to deny it like me but trust me your pride has a huge control of your life. recognize it and throw it out the window of the plane to your first country. Pride is the only thing God refuses to work with. Let go and enjoy your time here, focus on growth and focus on spending time with the Lord. You are wanted, you are valued.
