Can understanding your Enneagram type help you age well?

Kate Ostrem created her business, 9 Open Doors, to share the wisdom of the Enneagram in a practical, down-to-earth way. She loves helping women better understand themselves and others. We wanted to know if learning more about our Enneagram types could help us on our journey to aging well, so we sat down with her for an interview.

We’ve done a lot of personality tests, from Strength Finders to Myers-Brigg during our careers. Each one teaches us a little more about ourselves and gives us a way to think about who we are and why we do what we do. We both are learners, so we find the insights fascinating.

Over the last few years, we’ve noticed more and more people referring to themselves as numbers—one through nine. It definitely sparked our curiosity enough that we both took a free online Enneagram assessment. However, knowing our number, or personality, hasn’t been enough. We wanted a deeper dive into interpreting what our number reveals about our personality and how to use this knowledge to live better. 

We sought out Enneagram Expert and Educator, Kate Ostrem, for an interview. Kate is certified with Anne Mureé and has studied with some of the most prominent thought leaders in the Enneagram community, including Ginger Lapid-Bogda, Russ Hudson, Helen Palmer, Jerry Wagner, and Beatrice Chestnut. She has been an Associate Member of the Enneagram in Business Network and is a former board member of the Minnesota Chapter of the International Enneagram Association.

Kate created her business, 9 Open Doors, to share the wisdom of the Enneagram in a practical, down-to-earth way. She loves helping her clients better understand themselves and others. From a conference in New Zealand to teams in corporate environments to a few close friends in a backyard and everything in between, she teaches the Enneagram in a meaningful way for every audience.

What is the Enneagram? 

The Enneagram is a fascinating, centuries-old personality tool that depicts nine different types to explain the motivation behind how we think, feel, and act. 

Why is knowing your type important? 

Our type has many advantages, but it can also limit us. Once we identify our type, we begin to recognize our patterns and can cultivate the ability to make intentional, conscious choices instead of acting from a place of immediate habit. 

How does knowing your Enneagram type help you better understand your personality tendencies? 

Understanding your type allows you to access a deeper part of who you are. Our type is the result of deeply ingrained patterns which go back decades - recognizing it can lead to the realization that we have other options accessible to us. But first, we need to understand our automatic tendencies and what's behind them. 

How can we use this knowledge to be more intentional about our lives as we age? 

I believe that self-awareness is the key to aging well. The Enneagram frees you from a rigid definition of who you are and what you are capable of and opens your eyes to living fully from a place of wholeness.

Can knowing our Enneagram type help us get along with others better? 

Yes, understanding that we are all operating through our type can help us take things less personally. It can also allow us to make adjustments to our own reactions and responses, which can positively impact our interactions with the people around us.

Can I change my type? 

While our type remains the same all of our lives, what we can do is loosen how tight a hold it has on us.

What can we expect to learn at the Enneagram workshop on October 4? 

For many people, discovering your type is a process that can take a long time. My hope is that our time together on October 4th will spark your curiosity, give you some insight into who you are, and point you in the right direction of learning how your type impacts you on a daily basis. I'm looking forward to it!

Do you want to learn more about your type and how to use it to your advantage? Register for Rumblings’ Enneagram workshop here.