The ever-present passion (fear) that drives the Enneagram Six’s way of acting, thinking, and feeling, is actually experienced as anxiety. Fear is what arises when you’re in the presence of a clear and immediate source of danger. Anxiety, in contrast, is a vague, free-floating sense of apprehension that arises in response to an unknown or potential threat.

For Sixes, anxiety plays a role in all aspects of their life. They are constantly planning “what-if” scenarios, have thought through the contingencies, and know exactly what to do in any given situation.

But healthy, self-aware Sixes recognize their pattern of worst-case-scenario planning, learn to trust their own experiences, and believe that in the end everything will be alright.

In this episode of Typology, author and host of “The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey” podcast and Enneagram Six, Jamie Ivey explains the thread of natural caution and apprehension she feels as it relates to her friendships, marriage, and parenting. And she reminds us that, when healthy, the Six’s anxiety produces a lot of great stories!

P.S. Listen to this episode then text “FRIEND” to 33777 for a free download from Jamie.