Daily routines are what keep me going. Much like author Austin Kleon, I love making lists, and I love having a plan to follow (Keep Going, 23). As I was reading the first chapter of Keep Going, I was instantly reminded of my type one instincts and tendencies. I’m not sure if you have heard of the enneagram, but it has become a huge hit recently, especially for people of my generation, Gen Z. I first heard of it from a friend of mine who has kept up with it through her family, in which each of them did their research by reading several books about it and identifying themselves as one of the nine types. My friend describes it as a cul-de-sac of houses, each with their own personalities and characteristics pertaining to their most authentic selves. I would have to do a bit of research myself to know where it all began and how it was developed, but I’m sticking with the basics for now. According to The Enneagram Institute, there are nine types that fall into three different categories. The first category being the heart-centered (feeling) types: the helper (type 2), the achiever (type 3), and the individualist (type 4). Next is the mind-centered (thinking) types: the investigator (type 5), the loyalist (type 6), and the enthusiast (type 7). Lastly, there is the body-centered (instinctive) types: the challenger (type 8), the peacemaker (type 9), and the reformer (type 1). After attempting to have my friend diagnose me upon first learning about the enneagram and then taking the test for myself, I believe I am a type two with a wing one, meaning I share some characteristics of a type one, but my core personality is a type two. The enneagram is fascinating to me because it has helped me gain a better understanding of who I am as a person by developing and acknowledging my core values. In doing so, it has helped me spiritually to understand that in some ways we share the characteristics of all personality types during different stages of life like in growth or in times of stress, but in the end, we are all unique individuals that were made to be different and to have a purpose.
Similar to personality types or traits, music genres are categorized for different types of people. I would not necessarily consider myself to be musically talented, but I do have a love for music. I feel as though most of us, during some point in our lives, feel a connection to a specific genre of music or simply the words being sung. Music is an art form just as much as poetry and creative writing are. Each note and lyric have significance because they were chosen by the writer for a reason. Music helps me think just as much as journaling does. When I’m feeling stressed or when I’m on top of the world, I take the time to write it all down with pen and paper. When I can’t find the words to say, music does the part of filling in those blanks for me. Not long ago, I took a trip to the beach with my family, and I wound up buying a ukulele at a local surf shop in the area. Not long after that, I received a guitar as a Christmas gift, and time after time, I strum a few chords and hum along to the rhythm. In middle school, the first instrument I learned to play was the violin, so I have a soft spot for string instruments. By no means am I a musician, but it allows me to take my mind off everything going on in my daily life and around the world for just a few moments.
Going back to the type one in me, I am very much a planner who loves setting goals for myself. As author Austin Kleon explains, “the way to get over creative block is to simply place some constraints on yourself” (Steal Like an Artist, 137). Placing guidelines or limitations shouldn’t be a bad thing because it does a lot of good by creating a sense of order amid a chaotic life. Daily activities come and go continuously, but with a list, schedule, and routine, the weight of it all doesn't burden my motivation to do so. Especially nowadays, when it seems like we have all the time in the world to do things we have been wanting to do all our lives, now is the time to get those things done. “Don’t make excuses for not working – make things with the time, space, and materials you have, right now” (Steal Like an Artist, 138). I strive to be not only a better artist but a better person once we get past these crazy times. Today’s circumstances are not ideal, but we can make the most of what we have now. I promise, you will be grateful for your growth and learning experiences in the long run.
Works Cited
“How The System Works.” The Enneagram Institute, www.enneagraminstitute.com/how-the-enneagram-system-works.
Kleon, Austin. Steal like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You about Being Creative.
Workman, 2012.
Kleon, Austin. Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad. Workman, 2019.
“Type Descriptions.” The Enneagram Institute, www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-descriptions.
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