Oh, the places I want to go!

Meeting new coaches on LinkedIn has proven to be quite a self-development and business development experience and has me thinking about all of the places I want my coaching practice to go. Most of the coaches I meet, want to coach me which is fine and has proven to be quite educational.

“So pitch me and I will give you feedback.” (I don’t have a pitch - yet)

“Why are you giving this away? You should be charging.” (I do, just not for typing)

“I would like to offer something in return.” (I always think this is sweet and fun, learning how others coach 1:1 offers great lessons for me personally and professionally.)

“I have an idea…. you should tape your session and have evergreen material.” (loved this idea!)

So, I continue to bounce ideas around in my head:

  • DIY self-paced Deep Dive

  • Wordsmithing the types and their journey to Essence

  • My own 7-minute practices

  • Workshops by Enneagram subject

  • Group coaching by Type (this Fall)

If you are interested in group coaching by Type this Fall, please email me with your type so I can see which ones to offer.

This week’s blog breaks down the Instincts as I have been experiencing them while Brock is at Cadet Basic Training. I continue to learn so much in my 13-month intensive course and the Instincts have proven to be yet another amazing discovery. Russ Hudson thinks they are more important than knowing your Type! Powerful stuff.

Also, if for some crazy reason you have not subscribed to Russ Hudson’s monthly practices, here is his latest: https://vimeo.com/974482779/f452b400ca?share=copy

The Teeter Totter of Our Daily Lives

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

If you have done a typing session with me, then you know at some point, I show a slide that says THE GOAL OF THE ENNEAGRAM, with a graphic of the Centers of Intelligence. I explain to the client that the goal of the Enneagram is to balance our Centers of Intelligence. But what the heck does that really mean?

In my 13 month class I’m taking, this week, I decided to ask a question. We have a two-hour Integration session where the teachers take questions and then they “coach” participants. I would prefer to just put my question in the chat to the moderator, but this time she encouraged me to ask the question. So with a shaky voice and a rapid heartbeat, I raised my hand in the Zoom call.

My question was about my inability to express anger or frustration. You see, I’m a Five and my dominant type comes from the Head Center. Couple that with my Arrows and it takes a little more for me to get in touch with my feelings. Don’t get me wrong, I’m deeply in touch with my empathy, sadness, and compassion (ask anyone who really knows me and they will tell you I can go from happy to tears in an instant) but those “harder” emotions, anger and frustration, don’t come very naturally to me. I think it is a combination of my observant and reflective ways, my practice of trying not to take things personally, and, as a Five, needing to process these tougher feelings before I share them (which I usually don’t). So I asked the teacher “How can I feel these?”

“When you do feel these emotions, where do you feel them?”, she asked. I replied, “In between my belly and my heart” (a recent golf outing tested this!). As expected, she suggested I take a breath and get very present with the moment. I don’t need to express this feeling, but I do need to feel it. She told me when these unusual feelings (for me) come up, put one hand on my heart and one hand on my belly and just breathe into the feeling. Notice what is happening in my heart center and body center. Stay with whatever I am feeling.

This is what I mean by balancing our Centers of Intelligence. Whether you come from your head, heart or body initially, those other two Centers need attention. We need to get in touch with them because they are telling us something, that is why they are also Centers of Intelligence. I can’t go through life thinking my way through it. I need to feel what my heart is saying and get in tune with what my body is telling me. All three play a role in our presence and can be powerful guides for the moment we are in.

All day long these Centers are activated. We just need to get in touch with them and they will allow us to live from our True Self instead of our Ego or False Self. Daily, our lives teeter back and forth between these two Selves, True and False. It is up to us to deepen our awareness of our Centers of Intelligence so we can tap into the Infinite Knowledge that is available to us when we are present.

Remember I offer FREE Typing sessions - please share this with your friends and family. EVERYONE who has done them enjoys the process and learns quite a bit about themselves whether they continue coaching with me or not.

This week’s blog is about Basic Fears and Desires. These come from our Childhood Messages. The Enneagram is a beautiful blueprint to our True Self. Join me and read up on the Spiral of Discovery and uncover your own Enneagram blueprint.

From Personality to Potentiality

I was dreading it. Pre-prom festivities.   

Don’t get me wrong.  I was excited to see the young men and women dressed up for their prom night.  It would be their last prom together. They all looked great.   

What I was dreading was the small talk and socializing with all the parents.  Give me a small group and I can handle it, not well, but I can handle it.  Dozens and dozens of other adults, well, let’s just say, I feel awkward, very awkward.  Couple that with a lack of being a drinker (maybe I should start!) and for this Five type, I just want to get back in the car and drive home.  To add to this uncomfortableness, I had nothing to wear.  I don’t usually care about this, but I didn’t want to look like I was at work - leggings and a black Smartwool sweater.  So I put on jeans and a black Smartwool sweater.  I hate getting dressed. 

I’m quickly approached by a familiar face.  You think that would be enough for me.  It wasn’t.  I scour the perimeter, looking for the photographer so I can just sit back and watch her do her thing.  That worked for a little while and then the pictures were done.  I counted the minutes and luckily it was getting chilly and I wasn’t dressed appropriately - thank God, so I said to Ernie, “Is it time for us to go?”  My husband knows me well and obliged immediately. 

For a long time, I thought this was the real me. But after studying the Enneagram (and of course, some Eckhart Tolle splashed in), I am reminded this is not me. This is the character I play in life. And whether real or fictional, this is just a character, a personality. I see my type (and your type) everywhere now and I sympathize with them. Just like all the types, the Five wasn’t meant to stay home and hoard our gifts.  To live in to my potential I need to drop this personality trait I have defined myself by. Every single one of us is meant to shine our light with others, dropping our personality and leaning into our Potentiality,

So what have you noticed about yourself that is taking you away from shining your light?  Your scenario might be different but it is still an egoic reaction.  You might always be looking for the next thing to keep you busy (Type Seven and their restlessness) instead of using that enthusiasm to inspire others. Or you might be really good at judging yourself (and others - Type One) so much that your principled nature gets caught in that loop instead of gifting those principles into advocacy.  Or maybe you think everyone else has a great life (Type Four) and you forget how much the world needs your deep emotional intelligence.  The list goes on but you get the picture.  Your forgetfulness has kept you from your potential. When you retreat into typical patterns, you are playing the character of you, the personality of you. Take a look at yourself and uncover the true gifts that you are hiding and gift them to others.  Service using your gifts is the only master plan and requires you to bring awareness to your personality to step into your Potentiality.

I offer affordable monthly coaching for $120/month.  This includes 2 half-hour private sessions and homework (of course). Click here now to start your journey.

(A Free Enneagram typing session is a prerequisite).  

Ahhhh, that's the difference between the Enneagram and those other tests.

The other day I was personally training a client, who happened to also be someone who typed with me. She was a bit confused as to the whole point of the Enneagram and the difference between the Enneagram and other personality assessments. I started to explain how it is a combination of psychology and spirituality (the differentiator). I explained to her that as a Three she likes the spotlight and her personality is such that she tends to showcase her creations (she makes beautiful works of art). That’s the psychology behind her Three-ness - garnering attention. The spirituality behind her type is her true gift - inspiring and teaching others. When she begins to spend more time offering these gifts to the world, she will be less identified with her personality (and what she produces) and more identified with her Essence. She will also feel more present and in flow when she is living on purpose sharing her gift of inspiration and teaching. Shedding our personality so that our light can shine, is really what the Enneagram is all about. I share another aspect of the Enneagram in this week’s blog.

Remember, I offer FREE Enneagram typing sessions. And if you have already been typed, please share this newsletter with a friend! You will have so much more to chat about.

Oprah Daily features the Enneagram prison project

I’m always looking out for transformative ways people are using the Enneagram. You know, beyond the personality memes that while they serve a purpose, aren’t necessarily my purpose. Don’t get me wrong, as far as I’m concerned, spreading the Enneagram love no matter what that looks like, I am all for. I want as many people to experience the Enneagram as possible. But…. for transformative growth (I know, I know, I can’t help myself), you’ve got to push yourself as evidenced by the Enneagram Prison Project.

The Enneagram Prison Project goes into prisons and educates inmates about the Enneagram. It is an eight-week program. I am on their mailing list and received such a beautiful recent email where they were featured in Oprah Daily. You’ve just got to read what a profound effect the Enneagram is having in prisons, especially for the woman featured in this article. You can read all about it here. If this doesn’t convince you of the transformative growth potential of the Enneagram, I’m not sure what will.

If you’ve been typed and would like to book some one-on-one sessions, I have an affordable option with my monthly coaching subscription. For an investment of $120/month, we will meet twice a month (half-hour sessions). This keeps you accountable on your journey which is the BEST way to see some solid personal growth. You will receive some homework (of course - I love homework) and you will see a shift in yourself and the world around you. Yay! Sign up here.

This week’s blog - Spiral of Discovery: Childhood Messages. Check it out here.

Shhh... don't tell anyone. I'm going on a 13 month journey.

I thought that might get you! Truthfully, I am going on a 13-month journey - an inward journey with Russ Hudson. Russ is a world-renowned Enneagram author, teacher, and thinker. He has written several classics about the Enneagram. He and his partner, Don Riso (now deceased) brought the Enneagram to the modern world through their ideas of how Enneagram fuses psychology and spirituality. He believes the Enneagram is the map to understanding our forgetfulness, allowing us to recognize the neural patterns that take us away from our Essence. I have signed up for his 13 month certification in Conscious Living, allowing me to do the deeper inner personal growth work so I can be a better coach (so Type Five of me). I am so excited - this is a win-win!

You too can get to know Russ through his website and free monthly guided practices. This commitment to getting present in body, mind, and heart is the cornerstone of Enneagram teachings - balancing our heart, head, and gut centers of intelligence. This can only be done through daily practice. You can enjoy this practice free from his website where you will receive his monthly practice, https://russhudson.com. You will not regret this!

Remember, to please sign up for my FREE Enneagram typing session. This is my life purpose and mission - to type as many people I possibly can to make a difference in their lives and our world. It truly is a magical tool for personal growth. Here is the link: https://app.paperbell.com/checkout/packages/64334

And here is this week’s blog where the Spiral of Discovery continues on to Saboteurs (kind of icky but the heart of the Enneagram self-growth work).

How the Eclipse Shined Light on My Shadow.

A once-in-a-lifetime event happened in our little town - a total solar eclipse. This is the perfect opportunity for this type Five to shine her light.

Waiting for the magic to happen.

Weeks ago, I had planned for my snow tires to be swapped to summers at my car dealership in Burlington. on the Friday before the eclipse. Hmm…Do you think people will be coming up for the weekend that day? What will traffic be like on our two-lane highway into town that afternoon? A quick look at the grocery store parking lot as I drove past en route to my tire swap and it looked like locals were already getting prepared. I will stop in (with my list in hand) and bust out groceries to meal-prep for the weekend. Time management.

Saturday morning, hours spent in the kitchen (Type Fives love their “me” time even if it is for the collective good) local law enforcement cautions locals to stay off the roads (even canceling school on Monday). You don’t have to ask me twice. Stay home? I’m on it!

You see, Type Fives rely almost completely on their thoughts and devising ways to conserve resources. All of this eclipse prep was the perfect scenario to shine my light - shopping before the crowds, staying home, prepping meals, But is that really shining my light, or is it shining light on my shadow? I would say with all of that resource conservation, shadow work is definitely playing out. Did someone say Avarice?

In Chris Heuertz’s book The Enneagram of Belonging, he graciously assigns type-specific loving-kindness mantras to help us manage our Shadows and Saboteurs. I recite them daily (especially when the night-time thoughts creep in) and these phrases have helped me incredibly.

May I be here now.

The view from our spot - Totality.

May I say Yes to the silence.

May I let go.

May I have Faith (I’ve added this one specifically for me to be more open to the Universe’s energy and guidance.)

As my mantra played in my head, tick, tick, tick so did the countdown to totality. I thought about how lucky I was to be experiencing this with Ernie and Brock. This would most likely be something we never experience together again. So be here now, Julie. Say yes to the Silence. Let go. Have Faith.

Preparation for the eclipse brought out the Avarice in me, but when it was time to experience it, my shadow stayed away. The work is a daily thing. And I’m ok with that. When I needed to shine my light and get deeply present, I did and experienced something I will never forget.

Remember, my Enneagram Typing Sessions are FREE. As I explained to a group of women earlier this week - YOU ARE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ME - typing helps me build my business! So please, if you haven’t been typed, sign up!



This week’s blog is about two of the Enneagram triads. These are very useful triads as they have to do with conflict style and how we interact with others to meet our needs. If you haven’t been typed, maybe reflect on your style and you might be able to discern your type.

Typed and Retyped: Now it is your turn

Twice this week, once in a follow-up session and once in a workshop, a typed client needed a revisit with their typing. You see, some types look similar, especially when people have “done the work.” This usually has to do with the Nine Type.

Nines are easy-going, non-confrontational, Buddha-like. In one case a Type Two was confused with a Type Nine. These two types share other types through wings and arrows - complicating the situation. The Type Nine has a Wing 8 and Type 2 has an Arrow 8. Type Nine has a Wing 1 and Type 2 has a Wing 1. And, Type Nine has an Arrow 3, and Type 2 has a Wing 3. Sharing three of their four wings and arrows confuses things. They can appear very similar in personality. (See graphics of Nine and Two and their arrows. Wings flank the Types.)

So, if you’ve done the work, you may look and test like a Nine. It isn’t until a slightly deeper dive reveals the mistype. And then the real work can begin. If you are feeling you’ve been mistyped (either with me or a DIY option online, and especially if you have been typed as a Nine), please reach out to me and schedule a FREE appointment. You CANNOT do the real work of self-observation, self-reflection, or self-development until you have been typed correctly. Because only then, do things make sense and you can see your Type-ness in everything you do. Then you can pivot and grow. Yay for you and everyone around you. And for me, because I LOVE when people are able to learn about themselves.

Also, wanted to share that I am officially an Enneagram University Certified Coach. Pretty fun to be certified since it gives me cred which is important for some people. It was a fun certification because for me it was a deep dive into the Enneagram and I learned so much. Still on that learning path but this certification has given me a wonderful head start.

Check out this week’s blog where we continue our Spiral of Discovery and step into Arrows.

Last Call for Deep Dive Workshop - 2 spots remain, begins 3/14

There is so much to learn about yourself and your loved ones through the Enneagram. I guarantee more fulfilling relationships and a more purposeful life when you join me on this journey of self-discovery. I only have two spots left on my Deep Dive and since I am offering a 2-for-1 on my Deep Dive Enneagram Workshop with a new start date of March 14th you’ll want to jump in! Email me and I can help you with the 2-for-1 deal.

Remember, I offer FREE Enneagram typing. If you want to join the workshop with a friend, they will want to be typed ASAP.

That is all I got this week - still playing catch-up from vacation!

Click Type 9’s Path to Wholeness drawing below for this week’s blog.

Observe. Reflect. Develop. The Personal Growth Journey breakdown

As a life coach, I often tell people that the beginning of change begins with awareness. Until recently, I never really thought about what comes after. With this three step process, Observe - Reflect - Develop, anyone can change their ways and set themselves up for a Future Self in more alignment with purpose.

All change starts with Observation. Nothing has brought this more to light than my personal work with the Enneagram. As a Type Five I have become (painfully) aware of my constant thinking, sprinkle in some fear, some avarice, my need to know and you’ve got a recipe for LOTS of observation. I find myself often pulling back from my typical reactions and just noticing them (especially those thoughts!). Without the Enneagram, it would have taken me so much longer to discover all of the things that make me me and everything I hadn’t noticed before in 58 years. Crazy, huh?

After Observe comes Reflect. Fives are probably pretty good at this since we tend to spend lots of time in our heads. That being said, Reflection lends itself to the why behind the actions. Super important work because if you don’t see the why then the how (Develop) is not possible. Let me explain.

My Center of Intelligence is Head. Knowing that I’m always thinking as a reaction (instead of being in my body or heart) gives me pause to consider another reaction. Recently on vacation, I wanted to wake up and spend some time working on a few things for my coaching work (I know, I’m on vacation, but I actually LOVE doing this kind of thing in some quiet space). Husband had a different plan - “Let’s take a walk to the coffee shop.” Even though I really wanted to be in my head, contemplating my next coaching idea, I had to stop thinking, get in touch with what he wanted (heart and body - he loves walking with me for my latte), and realize ‘I’m on vacation with my husband!’ So we did and of course, it was great. Develop. I know it sounds little, but my initial reaction isn’t about connection. It’s about preserving my resources and doing head-centered things. I kind of knew this about myself but not to the level I know myself now - thanks to the Enneagram. Now, I am rethinking my reactions and getting curious about how to Develop my heart and body centers.

Personal growth takes observation, reflection, and development. The Enneagram fast-tracks all three with the road map provided for transformational growth.

Remember, I offer FREE Enneagram typing, and now is the perfect time to book that since I am offering a 2-for-1 deal on my Deep Dive Enneagram Workshop with a new start date of March 14th. Email me and I can help you with the 2-for-1 deal.

Click Type 8’s Path to Wholeness drawing below for this week’s blog.

West Point and Perspective

Brock receiving his nominations from Senator Welch and Congresswoman Ballint. Bernie was sick that day.

Our son, Brock has a big decision to make. He has been offered an appointment to West Point and now must decide if he wants to accept it. The service academy admission process is arduous. Eye exams, physical exams, many letters of recommendation, fitness tests, Senatorial and/or Congressional nominations, etc. Do you know what else is arduous? This Type Five’s struggle with not knowing and my Type Nine son’s perfect contentment to live in the “not-knowing. ” Since Nines struggle with actually knowing what they want they are at ease with a lack of decision-making. So teeth grinding, sleepless nights and Hyper-Rational thinking continue to challenge me as my mantras of “May I let go. May I be here now” continue to play in my mind.

This is a perfect example of how important it is to know your type and the types of the people in your life. Having this perspective on Brock’s personality is a constant reminder to give him the space and do my best to let this process unfold, in Nine time - which is ROUGH! Without this knowledge though, I would be pushing him to make a choice that I need to know causing him more stress than he already is feeling as he makes what could be the biggest decision of his life. He seems perfectly content to sit in the mystery. Once again, my Buddha Brock, teaches me his go-with-the-flow ways despite my Type’s resistance to it. Thank you, honey. Thank you.

Deep Dive Workshop begins March 7th!

In March, I am planning a Deep Dive into the Enneagram Workshop to meet on Thursday nights for six weeks.

I am limiting this to 6 people. We will cover:

  • Centers of Intelligence                                                      

  • Arrows and Wings             

  • Passion (Shadow)

  • Fixation

  • Saboteurs (including those of wings and arrows)                                                                                                

  • Basic Fear

  • Subtypes:  Self-Pres, Social and Sexual     

  • Triads:  Harmonic, Hornevian, Relational                               

  • Desire

  • Virtue       

  • Childhood message/Underlying Childhood message        

  • Core longing                                                                          

  • Levels of Development    

  • True Self Identity (Greatest Strength)

    Hence the term “Deep Dive”! There is a lot to learn with the Enneagram and certainly, you can do it yourself, but a Deep Dive with a group of like-minded learners and not-so-like-minded Types will help you become more self-observant, reflective, and pivot to self-development all while learning even more about others. This investment in yourself is $400 or 8 payments of $50. Here is the link to this workshop but be sure you have been typed with my Free Enneagram Typing Session or it will not make any sense to you.