Hannah Chung

Embracing a New Message

I want to say something that definitely came to mind for me yesterday and it’s this: God may not always be telling you the same message for every season of your life.

When you are making a decision, you often think about what has happened in the past, right? You remember that time when God was nudging you to step forward and take action. So, you apply that to this situation, no problem. Sometimes that means that you did the right thing by acting, other times it might not have worked out because God wasn’t telling you to make a move yet. Every situation is different, so you need to listen to see if God is still telling you the same message.

This concept can also come into play when picking what sort of attribute we want to focus on improving, such as trusting God, or being more generous with what we’ve been given.

Here’s an example of what I mean:

Say there is a woman who has been blessed bountifully, and she is a wonderful, God-fearing person. However, she struggles with wanting to share what she has because she fears that she will not have enough for herself. But God uses other people and circumstances to change her mind and over time she is one of the most generous people anyone has known. But once she has improved this much in this area, she should listen for the next thing God is telling her to do. If she does not change once she has grown fully in this area, then she has become too comfortable with her calling.

Our callings need to be a little bit risky, forcing us to take that leap of faith. It doesn’t have to be life-threatening, but it shouldn’t be something that comes naturally to us. Of course, if you naturally love giving, and God is calling you to give money to a family in need, you shouldn’t ignore that call simply because giving is something you love doing. God wants us to be able to enjoy our lives and when we are following His commands. What I’m trying to say is that we shouldn’t expect what God is calling us to do to be easy all the time. We should be looking out for something unexpected that God might be pushing us to do.

Or maybe it’s something not unexpected, but rather something we’ve hidden deep down inside that we have not wanted to work on.

For me, I know that I have focused more on things that I want to work on rather than the things I need to work on. But what made me realize that God was giving me this message was when I thought about what I was asking for from Him on a regular basis: courage. This was something that I have and will always need, but looking over my past journal entries and prayer requests, I realized that perhaps what I need courage for is changing. More importantly, maybe I should be thinking about what areas of my life need more attention.

The word that I keep hearing lately is praise. This surprised me since I have not thought much about how often I praise God or if I do it enough. I don’t usually hold this word to such a high level of importance. But as these verses kept popping up, I realized that praise can truly change everything. Your perspective, your personality even, how you connect with God and others.

You might have spent the last two years working on seeking wise council, trusting God, or doing more with your church. Everything God tells us or God has put in the Bible for us to apply to our daily lives is important and worth listening to. But perhaps step out of the comfort zone or what you are used to hearing from God and start paying attention to the new words or messages He has been telling you.

“Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.”
Psalm 63:3-4

Sharing God’s Love

So, a few days ago, God did something amazing. He inspired me to create this video that I shared, and it had been on my heart to create something like that for so long, and out of the blue, I suddenly found the time and inspiration. I felt fulfilled that I was able to share it, and although I was hesitant about being so vulnerable with people I am not always like that with, I feel like God was trying to use me to say something.

I still wasn’t sure if I did the right thing until I went to bed last night. And then something interesting happened.

I debated about whether or not to share this moment with you, but I think that I should, because I feel like God was trying to send me another message to share.

I was listening to some calming music, and suddenly, I was in this grassy field. It was a beautiful day, the grass was swaying in the breeze, and there was no one around. Now, I have a very vivid imagination, so it was easy for me to feel like I was there, but this time it felt even more real than usual.

Suddenly, I turned around, and there He was. Jesus was standing right there, with open arms. He gave me a hug, and suddenly I felt the most love that I have ever felt before.

One friend of mine once said randomly, “You know, I bet Jesus gives some pretty awesome hugs.” Well, now I definitely think He does.

As I lay there in my bed, I began to cry uncontrollably. I couldn’t remember the last time I had ever felt so much love. It was the most perfect gift I ever could have received. (And just so you know, I don’t cry very much, so it was kind of a big deal)

And Jesus was telling me, “I’m here. I’m waiting for you. I love you.”

And I think I’m supposed to share that message with all of you, too. You are LOVED. Someone is out there, always waiting, always there for you. You have something to look forward to. You can be with the One that loves you the most.

I honestly have no words to describe the type of love I felt. It was like a hug from every single person you love, all at once, but more. Your heart feels full, alive. You feel like maybe tomorrow is worth waking up to. And you know that you are not alone anymore.

I read a quote later today that said, “What comes out of your mouth is what’s in your heart.”

Let there be love flowing from your words. Let your heart receive the kind of love that God has for you, and that people who truly care about you have for you. Remember that NO MATTER WHAT you are a beloved child of God, and there will ALWAYS be arms stretched out, waiting for you, wanting you, ready to embrace you.

So my challenge for you is this: Spread some kind of love to as many people as possible. Maybe post something inspirational, text a friend that’s going through a hard time, text a friend that’s always been there for you, give some special people in your life a hug. You never know how long you’ll have them, but you do know that you can always spread more love.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
1 John 4:7-8

Fear Interrupts Joy

“Worry about tomorrow steals the joy of today.”
Barbara Cameron

New Year, New Post

First of all, welcome back! I hope you all had a fabulous new year’s and a fresh start to 2020.

Second, you’re probably wondering why I decided to include a dog as the “symbol” of this post. My topic is on fear. Trust me, I am not afraid of dogs.

I’m going to return to my earlier series on joy, which I had started but typical Nine style, I got distracted and life got ahead of me, and so I only ended up doing one post. But I’m going to try to be less distracted and NOTICE more about my habits and my surroundings this year (notice is our word of the year at my church for 2020 and I may do a post about that later)…but that’s distracting from the point again!

A Quick Tail 😉

Anyway, I’ll start out with a little story about my dog, Hobi. I wanted to include an image of him, but the computer wouldn’t let me 😦 (he does look a lot like the dog in the picture though!)

He has a heart condition, which causes him to cough quite frequently, often when he is overexerting himself. But lately, I’ve started noticing a pattern. He will be in the middle of having the time of his life, running around with his incredibly slobbery reindeer toy that has its limbs chewed off, and all of a sudden, in the midst of his joyous time, he stops and coughs. He leaves his fun, his toy, and goes away to be by himself to finish coughing.

Now, besides the fact that this makes me quite sad, I was starting to make parallels between this action and how we often allow fear to interrupt our joy. Let me explain further before you leave, thinking that I have just compared you to my scruffy dog.

What’s this got to do with me?

Sometimes, when we get an opportunity, we will run out there head-on and feel free, excited, and full of joy. But then…something stops us. Doubt, other people’s opinions, a sudden realization, an obstacle of some sort. Fear overcomes us and we lose that joy, that passion we had for something important to us. And we can’t let this continue to happen.

As I’m sure you are all aware, there are extremely high levels of depression, hopelessness, and anxiety in the world today. Many blame it on our society of comparison, social media, entertainment, more people = less chances for everyone, etc. While those may be valid reasons, I think a main one is fear. There is so much fear now that we have access to so many resources, the news just a tap away. While it’s good to stay informed, it’s also important to remember that we can’t let fear hold us back from what we are passionate about. When we lose that sense of motivation, we lose a part of ourselves.

Now, you might be tired of me talking about fear, because I do so frequently. But that’s because it’s a large part of my life, and I bet it is or has been of yours too. Now, the average person, especially someone at my church, might see me as a calm, undisturbed, reserved person. (Believe me, I’m not on the inside! I’ve just heard observations…) Well, the truth is, I have a lot of fear about things going wrong, what people think of me, and how the future will play out. I work very hard to mute my fearful side, and often the most that comes out is me sounding a little cautious about certain ideas, or I confirm things repeatedly to make sure that everything is all figured out.

While being prepared is good, allowing fear to hold us back is bad. Now, one might say that worry does not harm us, especially if we don’t release those to the world. I’d beg to differ. Fear deprives us of joy, because instead of enjoying the here and now, we are so focused on what’s might go wrong, that we forget to realize everything that’s gone right.

I’m not saying that we can’t appreciate what’s happened in the past, and we should allow there to be some space for negative emotions to be exposed so that we can process them and move forward. But I’m saying that you can stop worrying about what’s going to happen next. We can continue to pursue that opportunity (if God wills it of course) and maneuver through the rough times in order to come out of the experience a better person. Those things that we fear might actually be what we are thanking God for later in our lives.

My Challenge to You

Tomorrow, the next day, the next week, the next month…(you get the idea), I want you to take the time to write down what you are afraid of. That’s right, I want you to recognize them. I want you to look at them and see if those are practical things for you to be concerned about. And then, I want you to write one thing that has gone well for you for each of the things that you’re afraid of. It might not flow as easily at first, but eventually you will be able to see how God is working through all those things, and that there are still things to have joy about.

In the long term, the next time you hear something that should be a source of joy, I want you to celebrate. It can be anything, something big or something small. Celebrate those victories and forget about the fear for a little while. Trust me, you will feel better about yourself and the situation afterwards.

My call of action to you: live with hope for the future, not fear!

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”
~Psalm 94:19

Stepping Into a New Year

“For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
Jeremiah 29:11

As 2019 draws to a close, so does the decade. And with that comes a lot of reflection. Every year, God seems to be sending out a different message to me, and I’m sure others can relate to this.

In 2019, a lot happened in my life. I would even say it was one of the most eventful years of my life. With that comes a lot of new relationships, grief, surprises, fear, excitement, and regret. I have said goodbye to many this year, and I’m sure that a lot of you have had to do the same. I know that as I get older, I will have this happen more and more, but it doesn’t make it any less difficult to have to watch loved ones grieve or be the one grieving yourself. This year has been hard as I have watched many that I care about make decisions that I know will hurt them later on, yet I am not in control of anyone’s life. All I know is that through all of these changes, good and bad memories, God still was trying to teach me something this year. He has also blessed me in numerous ways throughout the year, such as helping me discover my love of public speaking, giving me new people to care about, and giving me the inspiration to start this blog, just to name a few.

God’s Message to Me This Year

I will be the first to say that everyone is on a different journey, and we all are being told different things at different stages of life. But for me, I think that God’s message to me this year that I want you to think about as well is to continue to have hope and know that if I am patient, I will be less discouraged. God will never fail, and He will never stop caring.

What I want to Leave You with in the New Year

For any of you who dealt with loss, heartache, discouragement, or for those of you who had victory, excitement, and joy this year, I want to leave you all with one thing as you step into the new year.

No matter what’s to come, no matter what has happened in the past, you will never be worth any less or have failed the One that cares the most about you.

There are always going to be people who get in your way; who discourage you and tell you that you’ll never be worthy. There are also always going to be people in your life that love you like there is no one else in the world, who will always want to help you, and who are willing to listen to you. Sometimes, it takes seeking out these people, but they will always be there. If you reach out in your time of need, you are much more likely to experience God’s love shown through others.

My word to you this year is hope. Have hope that things will get better, have hope that you are the person you were meant to be and you are still growing, have hope that there is more to come than what you can see right now, have hope that you have been created for a reason. But most of all, have hope that God will fulfill His promises in your life no matter how bleak things look right now. Most of all, don’t get discouraged if this appear to not be going the way you plan. Oftentimes, you will end up grateful that they went the way God wanted them to.

With that said, have a very blessed new year, and I look forward to when we can catch up again!

“Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created.”
~Esther 4:14

Update from “The Challenge”

“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.”
Gerard Way

Remember that Challenge…?

So…anyone remember that challenge that I gave about two months ago about going out and doing something that would strengthen who you are? Well…honestly I forgot about it until today when I was going through old posts. But, I realized that I unintentionally did the challenge and that is something that I can share with you! If you did it or “unintentionally” did (haha) then please share your stories with me 🙂

One of My Flaws

I will be the first to say that I have MANY flaws as an individual. One of them would be not doing the things I know I’m supposed to when I know I should and then letting the opportunity pass me by. Another would be not telling people how I feel when I feel it and then inwardly allowing the feelings to grow stronger until I tell them at the wrong time or just too late. These two flaws go hand in hand, and I ended up tackling both of them last weekend.

How I Ended Up Doing “The Challenge”

First one ended up being confronting a person who has been doing things that have caused me to be upset, passive aggressive, and annoyed over the past several years. Yes, that’s a long time to not really say anything even though I gave those “nine-ish” hints. I can safely say that she is mad, but I feel a lot better because I know that I did the right thing. It was hard to say those things because even though I had that people-pleasing side that didn’t want to say things, I also have that inner fire that wants to explode once in a while when the opportunity presents itself. But the thing I’ve learned from repeated experiences like this that it’s just good to go upfront and be gentle but honest. And I’m glad that I was finally honest.

The second was slightly more difficult even though it has shorter lasting consequences. This weekend I was at a pretty emotional event and I saw some people that have been the cause of pain for me, particularly in the past year. I knew that I needed to welcome them to the space though because it was a place where they could grow. But it was so hard, and I knew that my efforts weren’t appreciated. However, I still reached out and did all that I could to be kind and make them feel like how I would’ve wanted to feel. I’m sure that they may hurt me again in the future or that maybe they learned nothing from the experience. But I know that I did what was right, and that’s what’s important. I’m not going to regret what I did.

Takeaways…

The quote talks about watching your life before your eyes and not regretting any of it. I have had my life flash before my eyes– twice. Maybe more. And honestly, there are things that I’m thankful I did and there are things I know I could’ve done better. And after thinking more about this challenge, I know that I am going to strive to take more risks, not worry as much about what others are thinking of me, and work towards becoming more of who God wants me to be, even though that’s hard. But I want all the challenges you either are presented with or give yourself to help you also become the person you were created to be. The worst thing I could wish upon you would be living a life full of regrets. I’m young and I have many already. A person who was and still will remain a hero to me focused his life on living without regrets. And I’m giving you that mission too. Do everything as though you are going to remember it in ten years and like only the One that’s important is watching. You won’t regret it 🙂

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
-Joshua 1:9

The Fear of Believing

The presence of fear does not mean you have no faith. Fear visits everyone. But make your fear a visitor and not a resident.
-Max Lucado

I’ll let you in on a little secret. I would never consider myself superstitious. However, there is this weird thing I do when I begin hoping that something will happen or something seems somewhat promising. I will think to myself, “Oh, that will never happen. Don’t count on it or believe.” Then I think that the chances of it happening are more likely than if I had a positive attitude about it. And I’ve begun to realize that this tactic which makes me think that I am safe from the grief of being hopeful about something just to have it fall through by denying the possibility is hurting me more than anything else.

I’ve been thinking more and more about it, and honestly, my mentality that something will have a higher chance of it working out by having a doubtful attitude about it is honestly ridiculous. I would probably work harder to make dreams a reality if I actually believed that they could work out. But more importantly, I’ve let this mentality affect my faith.

I’ve let this lie slip into my head a lot recently: “God doesn’t care about what I’m going through or how I am feeling.” I’m worried that if I believe that God cares, then when bad things happen, God was intentionally allowing those things to happen.

This sentence might make you a bit upset…

The truth is, God IS intentionally allowing these things to happen. To you, to me, to everyone. All that pain, all those confused feelings.

So…then why should we believe?

Because God is using those things to make you a better person. He believes that you are strong enough to fight through the doubts, the insecurities, and the pain. And He believes that those are what will bring you closer to Him.

Frustrated yet?

Honestly, it makes me upset sometimes. I feel like it takes a lot of faith to believe that God is using these rough things for a reason and that He has a plan through it all. Mostly, I wonder why God could ever believe that I would want to be closer to Him after all these hard things happen. But the truth is…I do. It’s because throughout all of these challenges, God is the only One that stays constant, who stays there with you through everything. There are a lot of people who say they will always be there for you who either move away, slowly drift apart, or who were saying it simply because it sounded right.

Have you ever noticed how you feel a lot closer to someone after they have been with you through one of the worst moments of your life? I have, at least. I think that it might not make sense, because those are often the times when you are least like yourself or at least who you want to appear as. But in reality, it’s those people who are the ones that have proven loyalty, trustworthiness, and are putting those things into action now.

That is what God does when he allows rough seasons to hit. God is proving that He will bring you through the times you thought you could never make it out of. He is showing you that He will provide even when you thought nobody cared. He is showing you that people love you, that people need you, and that someday He is going to use you for incredible things.

Are you going to end with “you just gotta have faith”? Because I’ve heard that line before…

No, I’m not going to end with that. I don’t think faith is as simple as those sayings go. Faith means vulnerability. Faith takes bravery. And faith is not something that is easy to come by. But a lie that often revolves around faith is that it is a process in which you have to go at alone. You have to somehow have that “revelation” that makes everything suddenly seem real for you. That might work for 1% of the population (or more, but no one I’ve known…) but for the rest of us, there are other things we can do to grow our faith constantly. One of those things is being surrounded by people who encourage it. Hearing real stories about what God is doing and feeling God’s love from others can definitely strengthen our faith. In addition, spending time getting to know God and journaling to see how prayers are being answered is helpful.

My final word to you

We all have doubts. We all have low seasons. I’m in a low season right now, actually. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have faith. It just means that we have to work a little harder at being brave enough to believe. Yes, God cares. Yes, God is listening. Yes, God is allowing these things to happen. But it’s for a reason. And yes, you are going to have doubts, even if you are in a season where life couldn’t be better. Sometimes those are the seasons where it’s hardest to believe we even need God. But trust me, after the hard stuff hits again, you’ll remember why. Ultimately, don’t beat down on yourself for doubts. Just remember that it’s all a test, and God is always going to be there waiting for you.

“The LORD waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them.”
Isaiah 30:18

True Joy = Gratitude

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
Albert Einstein

Welcome Back!

First of all, I’d like to apologize. (I know it’s a Nine thing to apologize too much, but this time it’s for good reason!) I really planned on keeping this blog up, and I have not been doing an adequate job of that, considering it’s been almost a month since the last time I posted. Honestly, I won’t get too into it, but life has been extremely crazy. However, that has meant that I have thought of some new things to talk about, including a new series!

Speaking of that New Series…

My new series is going to be all about joy. Joy is an important thing to me, and as a Nine, I do try to keep things positive, however I struggle with thinking the best thoughts sometimes. It can be easy to slide into a negative cycle, and hopefully we can grow together through this!

Today’s Takeaway:

The number one way to have joy is to be grateful. That means saying thank you to the guy that picks up your trash, the person that holds the door open for you, the people in your life that have always been there for you. Any time there is an opportunity to say thank you, do it. Sometimes, I feel like expressing too much gratitude (if that’s such a thing!) would be the wrong thing to do. Like, I’ll randomly feel thankful for certain people in my life, but I won’t do anything about it because I feel like they will think it’s weird of me. But then I realize how a random “thank you for being there” or just extra appreciation would make my day. And I’m sure many of you might agree to that feeling too. Suddenly, all you’ve been doing for others has paid off just by a few words.

If you notice what you have, you will have an immediate “spirit lift”. Trust me on that one! It will let you realize how many prayers have been answered that you haven’t thanked God for recently, how many people may need your help who you were overlooking, or just how amazing it can be to be alive. I’m saying all this during one of the hardest seasons of my life and during a season that I know has been insanely difficult for many loved ones. Why am I going on and on about how amazing life is right now? So that I can keep going with hope and joy into the future. And I hope that you can too.

Practical Tips for Becoming More Grateful

Thank random people (like strangers or people you don’t know very well) who do things for you. They are often under-appreciated.
Thank people who are close to you just because. They will greatly appreciate it.
Keep a journal full of answered prayers, and if you keep a regular journal, write three things that you are grateful for each day.
Take a moment to breathe each day and reflect.
Realize all that is happening in the world right now, and how you have an important role to play!
Read some inspiring verses or stories.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
~1 Thessalonians 5:18

The Unseen

“The truth is, we all face hardships of some kind, and you never know the struggles a person is going through. Behind every smile, there’s a story of a personal struggle.”
Adrienne C. Moore

Quick Update!

Hey, first of all, sorry that it’s been a while. I’ve been incredibility busy and I know that there probably aren’t a lot of you readers out there, but I want to be committed to this blog, so I will be working harder on updating this.

The Unseen

So yesterday, I was reading my devotional for today, and the verse was about God seeing everything even when other people don’t see it. Last night, I read it the way I usually do, that God sees the good things we do even when we are not appreciated, which is very encouraging. But, as I thought about it more today, I think that this verse could also be interpreted in that God sees all of us who feel unnoticed or that our situation is not understood by others.

Have you ever read a book and then later saw the movie, only to understand the story much better after seeing with your own eyes what the author was picturing when she wrote the book? (Yes, I know you are probably not wanting an analogy right now, but hear me out) Well, I feel like seeing something for yourself rather than just hearing about it or seeing words explaining it makes that thing seem so much more real and relatable. Obviously Jesus has experienced all the pain and the joy that we have on Earth, but I think that just imagining Him watching and experiencing everything WITH us is pretty powerful.

Anyway, I guess my message is that for all of you who feel insignificant or like no one really gets what’s happening to you, God always will because He is present in every moment. And, a lot of people actually do understand or want to understand because they care about you.

On the flip side, when you see someone in the hallway tomorrow or at the grocery store, and you make an instant judgement about them (come on, we all do sometimes), just remember that you may not know the whole story. Even with friends, not everyone is a “sharer” and it can be easy to overlook the ones that don’t volunteer information frequently. But that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve the same kind of compassion and patience that everyone else does.

So, a challenge for today/tomorrow (since it’s pretty late now) is to try to understand other people, those you might not even know, in a new light. Everyone has their own story that is just as important as yours. Your story is important and the people that truly care about you will be willing to listen when you need it.

“You supported me because of my integrity and set me in Your presence forever.”
~Psalm 41:12

A Challenge to Change Resisters

“It’s only after you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone that you begin to change, grow, and transform.”
― Roy T. Bennett

A Little Background

A pretty common preference for Nines is stability. We like having comfort in our routines, in our habits, and we don’t always change easily. We go with the flow for others, but our innate preference is to stick to what we know. But sometimes, it takes change in our lives for us to discover things about ourselves that we never knew were possible. Sometimes taking that chance, that risk, is what we needed to make our lives or someone else’s live better. A simple example of this was when I was young, I had a hard time when my mom decided to go back to work. I really enjoyed being able to have her when I needed her and I anticipated a lot of time alone at home. But if she had not gone back to teaching, then I never would’ve figured out my own passion for helping children. And, we may not have continued to go to my current church, where, thanks to giving it more time, I have made so many wonderful connections that I hope are for a lifetime. I have never been as enriched by a community as I have been by them, and now I am so thankful that God called my mom back to work all those years ago. I never would’ve anticipated those blessings, and by taking other opportunities that seem foreign, we can experience positives we weren’t expecting!

My Challenge for You

The point in all of this? Change can be good, if we embrace it and grow from it. I was reminded of that when filling out this fun little booklet that was a humorous gift to me from a relative. I thought it would just be a time-passer, but its little challenges have given me things to think about. Today’s challenge was to “go out of my way to do something I have never done before”. So…that’s my challenge for you too! I will update you on what I decide that change will be, and let me know if you try it out too. Who knows, we might just find our next greatest passion! 🙂

How Nines Relate to Other Types

“It is quite clear that between love and understanding there is a very close link…He who loves understands, and he who understands loves. One who feels understood feels loved, and one who feels loved feels sure of being understood.”
― Paul Tournier

Since this is an Enneagram blog, among other things, I thought it would be helpful to post about how I feel Nines relate to other types. By no means is this supposed to make one type seem more compatible to Nines or make one type sound better than another. It’s just my personal reflection on how different people’s types has affected my relationships with them. I hope you can enjoy/relate!

Ones- The Clean to Our Cluttered

I don’t have very many Ones (to my knowledge) in my life, but those that I do know are very admirable to a Nine. I don’t know about you, but I am very disorganized and I often have a hard time bringing myself to get rid of belongings etc. But Ones are good at getting Nines into action and cleaning. In addition, I’m a jist person, but Ones are more detail oriented. Nines can help Ones relax while Ones can help Nines notice details when it comes to projects etc. One thing that Ones and Nines have in common is that they can be pretty sensitive when it comes to criticism. In a way, that should actually help Ones and Nines relate because they will be more sensitive to each other.

Twos- Each Other’s Helping Hand

I have a lot of Twos in my life, and I really appreciate them. For one, they are usually that person that Nines want to have that actually asks how they are doing and if they need anything. Nines, in turn, will generally notice when a Two needs something but isn’t addressing it and that can be helpful for Twos to know that someone cares about their needs. Last year, I had a Two in my life that consistently asked me to do join her when she noticed that I was alone, and I really appreciated that it was in her nature to not give up after being nice once, but continuing to help me. My mom has scored as a Two (although I still think she might be a Six) and I do appreciate how she will often ask me about how things are going and if she can help me with anything. However, I (like maybe some other Nines) want to do things/handle things my own way and it can be frustrating for Nines to have a Two always wanting to know their business. But overall, I’d say that Nines and Twos get along very well. (But then again, both of these types get along well with most everybody):)

Threes- A Life that Would Exhaust a Nine

A friend that I grew up with is without a shadow of a doubt a Three. I think that some types are more easy to mistype (I actually thought I was a six for several months before realizing I was a Nine) but Threes are one of those that don’t, in my experience. Threes are what Nines might dream of becoming but do not often become. This is not necessarily a good or bad thing. It’s just that Threes work so hard to get their goals and must always be the best at what they do, while Nines…well…we are more like “Sure, that sounds good” but then again, so does curling up on the couch with a fuzzy blanket with the dog. Threes give Nines structure and help Nines get that motivation to go out and get what they want from life. However, Nines balance a Three by giving them a bit more perspective on life. Nines have a way of saying “there’s more to life than this game” that a Three might be able to accept.

Fours- The One Nines Turn to When Life Gets Hard

I’ve often been told that Fours are the rarest Enneagram type to be. However, I have had the pleasure of having two amazing friends that are Fours. I usually talk to them when I want to be reminded of fond memories or when I just want to reminisce. They are so sympathetic and when I just want someone to listen to me and not say “just cheer up already”, Fours are the ones to turn to. In turn, Nines are usually more optimistic, and can help Fours see the bright side of things, while still taking into consideration that Fours might not be ready to move on yet. On the downside, Fours and Nines often have trouble letting go of things, and they might just sit around being upset about that bully from fifth grade instead of doing something more useful. However, I think that Nines and Fours have a lot of common interests and personality traits, and therefore make good companions for each other.

Fives- Another Observer

Fives and Nines often have things in common, especially less social Nines. I personally do not follow the trend of preferring to take a nap over going out with friends, but I can understand a Five’s resistance towards large crowds. One thing that I in particular (and I know other Nines that have this trait) is the ability to notice things quickly about other people. I am 99% sure that my dad is a Five, and whenever we do talk with each other, we are usually discussing random traits that we have noticed in other people that they often don’t even realize about themselves. Fives retain more facts than I do, but Fives and Nines are often quick to figure out things that many may otherwise miss. Fives sometimes do not understand how Nines gravitate towards other people, when Fives generally preferred to be alone, which sometimes bothers Nines. However, by both being quiet, deeper thinkers, they can relate pretty well to each other.

Sixes- The Loyal One That Nines Love

So, I might have a slight bias here since I know SO MANY sixes (it’s the most common type actually) and most of the sixes I know are close friends of mine. And, as I mentioned earlier, I did mistype as Six for a while. Sixes and Nines have quite a bit in common, especially more social Nines. They share anxiety and a deep sense of concern for others. They are friends whose loyalty can be taken for granted. But Sixes are more expressive about their feelings, while Nines hide it behind a calm exterior. However, through these shared traits and similarity when it comes to friendship, they get along pretty well. Nines give Sixes a place to relax and see a positive light while Sixes can be there for Nines when they really need someone and make sure that they are thinking practically. Nines are usually more fearful of conflict, which causes them to merge with others, while Sixes stick firmer to their loyalty for their opinions. But I personally think that Nines and Sixes can balance each other out pretty well.

Sevens- The Energized Version of a Nine

Okay, here me out on this one. It didn’t hit me until recently, but I realized that Sevens are almost a “fast” version of a Nine. Sevens have a lot of energy, while Nines typically do not. Sevens are joyful and excited, while Nines are optimistic as well, but calm. Sevens have to go out and do everything while Nines want to be included, but enjoy staying in. These might seem more like opposites, but Sevens and Nines have a lot of the same desires. They both tend to avoid pain, but generally for different reasons. They both are the “encouraging friend”. Sevens indulge on experiences and things while Nines indulge on rest. I personally think that Sevens and Nines have a wonderful time together. The Seven friends that I have are so much fun, and they make me more energized and excited about things. They help me take risks and encourage me to be myself. Nines often help Sevens feel more content, and are there for them when they need to process things. Fours are good for Sevens because they help them explore the less “friendly” emotions, but I think Nines are good for Sevens too because they can give the type of encouraging responses Sevens want to hear and they don’t dwell on those negative things for longer than necessary.

Eights- A Little Scary, But Good for Nines

We used to have an amazing youth pastor at my church, and she was an Eight. I will admit that when I was younger, I used to be intimidated by her directness and strong presence. But as I got to know her, I started realizing why everyone loved her so much. She was determined to be there for each of the youth and she was fun to be around. She was one of the most devoted people I have ever met. Eights fight for justice, and I think that Nines have an admiration for how Eights are so willing to go after the causes they are passionate about. Eights and Nines are pretty much opposites, but opposites are good for each other because it forces the other to grow. And Nines help Eights realize that they can trust others and be vulnerable, while Eights allow Nines to realize that honesty and confidence are necessary for daily life.

Nines- Instant Connection

Even though I’m a Nine, and I’ve been writing general things about Nines based on those I know, the general things most Nines have in common, and my personal experience, I thought it would be good to write about how this Nine relates to other Nines. First of all, I think it’s an instant connection when one type meets another that’s the same. I have one particularly close Nine friend and we could talk for hours about all the Nine traits we share and how they play out in our daily life. (In fact, we probably have since we are bot so Enneagram obsessed ha-ha) Nines are good for each other because we know what means a lot to us and what we want to have in other people, so we can be that for each other. We also provide a place of comfort and encouragement for each other. However, we also can encourage each other to procrastinate or to blend if it avoids conflict, which can be problems. But I think that Nines in relationships with other Nines definitely have an understanding of each other that other types may not get so quickly.

In Conclusion…

I think that there are definitely certain types that Nines “click with” faster, but that certainly does not mean that Nines should avoid certain types. I believe that any type can get along with each other if we appreciate our differences and understand each other. I hope this article was interesting, and let me know your thoughts on how your type affects how you relate to others!