I had an ah ha today during a group program. The discussion topic was about ‘Zest for Life’. My ah ha insight was not new. Just brighter with more clarity.
My ah ha in exploring this topic is that my biggest obstacle is most often my self. No surprise there. My awareness just went into a deeper level, when asked…“What gives you joy… a zest for life? A joy zing? And, what gets in your way?”
That took me to a deeper insight of me and the impact of my key instinctual driver, my Social instinct. I’ve become much more aware of my instinctual tendencies over the last couple years with Inner Work exploration and studies. And, instincts often operate unconsciously. Both our dominant and repressed instincts.
So, an insight suggestion …. ask your self…
What gets in your way for a zest for life? And, how do you experience zest for life?
As you pause and notice, you may start to notice patterns with your reactions, responses. What shows up and how. These may be connected to your key instinctual driver.
Noticing that is a start to becoming better, healthier. Finding your instinctual patterns gives you clues, or red flags, on how you operate, behave, think and/ or act. Or how you don’t act, think or operate. Some people freeze, go to a freeze response when dealing with stress. Others respond with fight, flight or fold.
Regarding instincts, in Enneagram systems it’s believed we have 3 instincts that operate in humans: the social, self-preservation and one-to-one/ sexual instinct. It’s commonly believed that instincts are wired in us when we’re born and can be influenced by in utero and in early childhood experiences and trauma. You have a dominant instinct and a repressed one. And the instinct in the middle is the most normal, balanced one.
Magic keys show up with discovering your dominant instinctual key driver. And in discovering what’s your instinctual sequence… what’s your dominant and what’s repressed.
These instincts are powerful, and get layered into each Enneagram energy point or type (ie types 1-9) and create what’s called subtypes… ie, the Social 9, Self-Preservation 9, and the Sexual 9.
I often get in my own way and my dominant social instinct plays a big role with that. When my social instinct is in overuse, or not working well, it doesn’t serve me. When my social instinct is more balanced, healthier, then my social instinct is a gift.
By noticing when my Social or Navigating dominant instinct gets in my way (and it does consistently!) then I am able to adjust, realign to make better choices, life shifts and changes. The Social instinct is about belonging. It can over operate or under operate (be repressed).
What gets in your way of enjoying life? What gives you the zest for life?
I understand that life difficulties, health, loss, grieving, stressors and care giving burdens have an impact.
And, how do you/ we/ I live life better?
I’ve found, as have so many, that your instinctual drivers hold some well-being and growth insight keys.
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