Motto

Almost anyone fate did not bestow great and continual success. Only the happiness that comes easily, is persistent and accompanied us to the end. Seneca the Younger (born Lucius Annaeus Seneca, called. Philosopher, 4 BC - 65 AD)

Your Enneagram Report

In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” Coco Chanel

As a Type 4, The Expressive, you're the kind of individual who strives to be different and see life from new, expressive angles. More than simply innovative, you're also emotional. Indeed, delving into the world of emotions can be truly energizing for you. You typically enjoy understanding how feelings and the experiences that create them fit into life's big picture. When your creative reactions to these things are channeled in a positive direction, your life can feel balanced and right. However at other times, you may find yourself dwelling on emotions without a creative outlet. During these periods, you can begin to feel misunderstood or that there is something lacking in your life.

Due to your unique level of sensitivity, you probably experience a broad range of emotions in your daily living. You may also possess an uncanny ability to read others' moods. On the up side, your perceptiveness and deep examination of the world contributes greatly to your talent for self-expression. On the down side, these things can draw you into cycles of self-pity or self-doubt if you're not careful. You're the kind of person who can often benefit from staying on the sunny side of life, rather than lamenting what might be missing. When you harness your positivity and use your sensitivity as a tool, your ability to think outside of the box can produce spectacular results.

Like everyone, to some extent your personality has been shaped by past experiences. One reason you may identify with Expressives, Enneagram Type 4, is if you spent a lot of time alone as a child, perhaps feeling abandoned by one or both parents. By having a few formative experiences in which you learned to provide your own entertainment, you may have developed an advanced sense of creativity and self-reflection in your adult life.

When you're feeling your best, you probably have a sense of your deep connection with the world. You may also come to an awareness that ultimate satisfaction depends on your ability to appreciate what you have in the moment. At these times, the nagging feeling that something is missing in your life can melt away. In this state of gratitude and wonder, you can truly realize your full potential as a creative, passionate person with great emotional depth and empathy.

However, you aren't likely to be at your best every day. During the times when you're feeling your worst, you may find yourself harboring an intense longing for something you don't have. This can lead to bitter envy of others' accomplishments, experiences, and possessions. By focusing on what you're not, you likely come to see yourself as being very ordinary — the kind of person who lacks any special spark. This deep criticism of your own gifts can result in an even lower opinion of yourself. Know that this downward spiral is caused by a belief that you're missing something essential that others seem to have. By possessing such a worldview, you can find yourself searching for an unrealistically perfect life or idealized love to make yourself feel whole and complete.

How can you avoid feeling your worst and start feeling your best? Above all, try to appreciate what you have now and live in the present moment. Recognize that your fluctuating emotions are not necessarily reflective of reality. By being consistent and moderate in your actions, you can keep a sense of balance in your life even when you're feeling low, knowing that the time will pass. Also, look for the beauty in the ordinary and give yourself permission to be "normal" — without needing to be special or unique. Know that your value is inherent.

As a Type 4, The Expressive, your typical strategy when looking for love likely involves searching for someone who can be your other half. To do this, you can call on your idealized vision of love, looking for a person to fill in whatever blanks you believe exist in your normal life. In essence, you're apt to seek out someone who can complete you. However, in looking for your ideal, you may sometimes miss out on great, real candidates who are too quickly crossed off your list.

At times when you feel unloved, you probably blame your own attributes as the reason that you're alone rather than your selection criteria. You may simply feel deficient in some way. To improve your odds of finding that special someone, make a move toward greater self-acceptance. Understand that disappointment, lack, and longing are a normal part of everyone's life; you are not uniquely afflicted. Also try to realize that love comes from the inside out. By accepting who and what you are in the present moment, you have the best chance of attracting romance. Know that you are worthy of love, no matter how complete or whole you feel.

When looking for a romantic partner using Enneagram types, consider how the types interact. The descriptions below give a general sense of how well each type matches yours. They also describe where the pleasure in these matches is likely to be manifested and identifies challenges you may face.

Pairing 1: Sense of Purpose. An "Expressive / Idealist" relationship is marked by a real sense of purpose and connectedness. The two of you can be at your best when you're sharing your time and thoughts to relate on a deeply personal level. However, know tension can result when your Idealist's need for things to be just-so leads them to criticize you at times. You may also tend to take their words more personally than they've intended.

Pairing 2: Dramatic romantic. An "Expressive / Humanitarian" relationship is marked by sensitivity, romance, and dramatic waves of emotion. The two of you can be at your best when you're exploring the joys of life and the passionate connection between you. However at points, your Humanitarian may become annoyed with your occasional propensity to wallow in your own pain. Tension can result when you become equally annoyed by their attempts to cheer you out of your dark moods.

Pairing 3: Creative complements. An "Expressive / Entertainer" relationship is marked by a shared interest in creativity and intensity. The two of you can be at your best when you're using your time as a couple to find inventive outlets for your emotions and passions. When tension occurs in your relationship, it's likely because of the contrast between your Entertainer's energetic forward focus and your sometimes melancholic reminiscences.

Pairing 4: Intensely deep. An "Expressive / Expressive" relationship is marked by idealism, depth of feeling, and wild mood swings. The two of you can be at your best when you're taking time to explore your mutual love and individual passions. However, because you both have such idealistic natures, tension can occur if one or both of you come to feel that something is lacking in the romance — especially if you blame yourselves for the perceived deficiency.

Pairing 5: Rich uniqueness. An "Expressive / Experimenter" relationship is marked by a rich joint creativity and love for unique things and interests. The two of you can be at your best when you're trying out new things together, whether that means visiting museums and cultural centers, checking out new restaurants, or taking on a new hobby. When tensions occur in your relationship, it's likely because your need to be fully and deeply connected can clash with your Experimenter's introverted and reclusive nature.

Pairing 6: Profound meaning. An "Expressive / Advocate" relationship is marked by a shared search for meaning and a deep, dependable personal connection. The two of you can be at your best when you're taking time as a couple to discover and experience the parts of life that you hold dear. Understand that your sometimes radically changing emotions can cause tension between you and your partner. Inconsistencies can make your Advocate fear that the relationship is not secure.

Pairing 7: Extraordinary passion. An "Expressive / Adventurer" relationship is marked by an extraordinary passion for life and its possibilities. The two of you can be at your best when you're using your time together to explore all the wonderful experiences the world has to offer — whether you're across the globe or in your own backyard. However, know that your Adventurer may become irritated with your melancholy moods from time to time. Tension can also be created if you try to make this more happy-go-lucky partner face and learn from painful life experiences the way you do.

Pairing 8: Excess and flair. An "Expressive / Leader" relationship is marked by excessiveness and a flair for living life on the edge. The two of you can be at your best when you're taking the time to try new and exciting pastimes as a couple. However, because you and your Leader both tend to be dominant — you in the emotional realm and they in the realm of action — sometimes power struggles can ensue.

Pairing 9: Quiet empathy. An "Expressive / Negotiator" relationship is marked by strong empathy and a desire for peaceful calm. The two of you can be at your best when you're sharing one another's inner thoughts in quiet conversation. However, if you search for more information than your partner is willing to give, tensions can arise. Your Negotiator may react by withdrawing or becoming stubborn.

You'll usually do your best in positions where you can be original and creative. This leverages your ability to think outside the box. In management positions, you can be good at seeing new and unique possibilities that other business people may miss. Fields you're most likely to be suited for include fine arts, music, or other creative fields.

When you're considering employment with a new company, one of the most important things for you to think about is how well you'll get along with your potential co-workers. The descriptions below give a general sense of how well each of the Enneagram types matches yours in the workplace, as well as how well you're likely to work with that type in supervisory and support positions.

Here's what you're likely to experience working with:

Type 1 (The Idealist): Sense of purpose. When you're working harmoniously with this type as either the boss or the subordinate, you will be operating as a tight team with clear goals. Be aware that you may have friction if the Idealist becomes harshly critical of your performance.

Type 2 (The Humanitarian): Sensitive. When you're working harmoniously with this type as either the boss or the subordinate, you are sensitive to each other's feelings. Be aware that you may have friction if the Humanitarian tries to be too cheery when you're feeling negative about the company or other employees.

Type 3 (The Entertainer): Creative complements. When you're working harmoniously with this type as either the boss or the subordinate, you have a knack for coming up with creative solutions to problems. Be aware that you may have friction if the Entertainer tries to drive forward on a project after you have become disenchanted with it.

another Type 4 (The Expressive): Intensely creative. When you're working harmoniously with your own type as either the boss or the subordinate, you will focus your creative energy on trying to achieve your idealistic goals. Be aware that you may have friction if you allow your mood changes to reign too freely in the workplace.

Type 5 (The Experimenter): Rich uniqueness. When you're working harmoniously with this type as either the boss or the subordinate, you will focus on creativity and uniqueness while exploring shared obscure interests. Be aware that you may have friction if the Experimenter withdraws from your joint projects without warning.

Type 6 (The Advocate): Profound meaning. When you're working harmoniously with this type as either the boss or the subordinate, you enjoy searching for answers to life's profound questions. Be aware that you may have friction if the Advocate becomes fearful of the security of your working relationship.

Type 7 (The Adventurer): Extraordinary enthusiasm. When you're working harmoniously with this type as either the boss or the subordinate, you work together with extraordinary enthusiasm for your joint projects. Be aware that you may have friction if the Adventurer refuses to consider the negatives or worst-case scenarios of any given project.

Type 8 (The Leader): Excess and flair. When you're working harmoniously with this type as either the boss or the subordinate, you work close to the edge, meeting your deadlines just in the nick of time and putting much more effort into each project than is necessary. Be aware that you may have friction if the Leader becomes too dominant or critical.

Type 9 (The Negotiator): Quiet empathy. When you're working harmoniously with this type as either the boss or the subordinate, you work together without conflict, often expressing empathy for the other's position. Be aware that you may have friction if the Negotiator becomes too withdrawn or stubborn when things change.