the loyalist

“Maybe I'm Stronger Than I Realize” is my piece representing the Enneagram Six. Before I started, I listened to the Sleeping At Last Podcast about Sixes, and I learned that Sixes can sometimes be mistyped as Eights. For my Eight piece I made a print, so I decided to use printmaking as my medium for Six to nod to the Eight.

Sixes are known for their strength, perseverance, and loyalty. They value security and safety, and they are also stereotypically the most anxious type. Something that I learned in studying the Six further is to be courageous you have to know and understand what it is that you are afraid of and choose to step into it anyway. Even though they are known to be skeptical and fearful at times, Sixes are simultaneously the most courageous type because they are fully aware of their fears, yet they choose to grow by stepping out into them.

When considering the idea that courage is choosing to remain unmoved and grow in the presence of fear, I was reminded of trees and the meaning behind their inner rings as they grow. If the environment around the tree was unfit for growth, it is reflected by the tree having a smaller ring. If it was in a secure and safe environment, the tree’s ring for that season would be bigger. Trees are the perfect example of growing despite uncertainty and insecurity, and I thought this would be the perfect representation of Six’s ability to face their fears.

The process of creating this piece was representative of the Six as well because I have never made a print in this way, so I stepped out into uncertainty to create this piece. Sixes are also known to always have an escape plan and be over prepared. Like a Six would, I researched and planned ahead for each step I would need to take. I discovered that to create a tree ring print you have to burn away all of the softer wood so that the more solid wood can make the print. The soft wood that was burned away reminded me of the fears and insecurities that often cloud Six’s minds, and the solid wood to me represented an instance where the Six was able to overcome their fears.

I chose the lyric from the Sleeping At Last song, Six, “Maybe I’m Stronger Than I Realize” to be the title of my piece. Sixes struggle with self doubt and they often don’t realize just how courageous they are. Each tree ring represents an opportunity where growth took place, and I hope that Sixes can see that just like a tree, they’re stronger than they believe themselves to be.