{"id":13477,"date":"2019-09-13T10:41:58","date_gmt":"2019-09-13T16:41:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/?p=13477"},"modified":"2020-02-28T16:57:38","modified_gmt":"2020-02-28T22:57:38","slug":"13477","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/2019\/09\/13\/13477\/","title":{"rendered":"Enneagram Type 4: The Individualist"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Enneagram, according to the Enneagram Institute, is a tool that \u201chelps us to see ourselves at a deeper, more objective level and can be of invaluable assistance on our path to self-knowledge.\u201d This series reflects an opinion that connects faith with each of the nine personality profiles of the Enneagram. <\/em><\/p>\n

Fruit of the Spirit to give attention to: Self-control<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fours are poetry in human form. They access levels of emotion that no other type can fully reach. They tune into depths of themselves and understand their emotions in a way that makes it difficult for others to relate to them, especially when they themselves don\u2019t have control of those emotions. They\u2019re passionate, sentimental, colorful beings that are the world\u2019s true artists. They\u2019re driven by their emotions.<\/p>\n

Fours are often misunderstood and underappreciated because of the way they feel so intensely. Others tend to be overwhelmed by how easily they tune into and lean on their deep emotions, but the way they don\u2019t fear and repress their emotions \u2014 when done in a healthy way \u2014 can be such an admirable quality. Fours can appreciate the beauty in moments more vividly; they can heal more emotionally by fully embracing their emotions. However, like other types, the light that the four is capable of bringing to the world can also be the root of their own internal darkness.<\/p>\n

While everyone has a self-identity and sometimes struggles with what their individual face looks like, this is even more true for Fours. Their search for their identity comes from not knowing their unique significance and feeling blocked from their true essence. They, in turn, place their identity and trust in their emotions, which are ever-changing. While they feel that something is missing from their lives, they aren\u2019t completely sure what it is they are looking for and they use their emotions as a road map to try to find it. Thi,s combined with their artful minds, leads them to live lives filled with fantasy.<\/p>\n

To get away from their desire and yearning to connect with themselves, they overcompensate by getting wrapped up in idealization; they think that the significance in other\u2019s lives is what is missing from their own and what is missing from their identity. Fours often confuse facts with feelings and think of them as equals when it comes to decision making. For example, when Fours are in relationships, romantically or platonically, if they feel like something is missing in a moment of a relationship or feel like other relationships contain more of something, they may reject the relationship. Learning to control their own emotions to where they can experience their depth, but also not let them drive their actions will help Fours thrive.<\/p>\n

The best thing for a Four to do is to realize that the way they feel emotions isn\u2019t a flaw, and it is important to remember that those emotions are fleeting pieces in time. Having self-control over their emotions is how they can launch their lives into consistency. When they\u2019re able to do this, they can begin to practice self-discipline that will give them long-lasting relationships and give them lives of action rather than idealized dreaming.<\/p>\n

For those who know a Four:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fours often feel like no one will truly be able to ever understand them, but they also desperately wish that people would try to connect with them. This give-and-take mentality creates dynamic relationships where Fours often push people away to test them; however, their push is actually a subconscious pull. They fear abandonment because that loss of a person causes them to feel an increased loss sense of self. When someone who knows a Four is pushed away by them, remaining a constant is extremely important.<\/p>\n

Remind the Four that while their emotions are present for only brief moments, the relationships and connections in their life are not. The best thing that people who know and love a Four can do is to validate their emotions. Don\u2019t try to repress them, but in love, try to pull them out of their idealization and comparison by staying constant and compelling them to find consistency in their actions. Also, learning to tell the difference between their fierce independence and their detached withdrawals is essential to maintain relationships with Fours.<\/p>\n

Verses for a Four:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1 John 3:20
\nFor whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.<\/p>\n

Proverbs 3:5-6
\nTrust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.<\/p>\n

Proverbs 25:28
\nLike a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.<\/p>\n

Titus 1:8
\nRather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.<\/p>\n

Romans 12:1-2
\nTherefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God\u2019s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God \u2014 this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God\u2019s will is \u2014 his good, pleasing and perfect will.<\/p>\n

Jeremiah 1:5
\n\u201cBefore I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Enneagram, according to the Enneagram Institute, is a tool that \u201chelps us to see ourselves at a deeper, more objective level and can be of invaluable assistance on our…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15123,"featured_media":13478,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15123"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13477"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13477\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}