To learn more about this series, as well as how the survey was conducted, please read this post. 

Type Nine

Commonly known as The Peacemaker, The Healer, The Optimist, The Comforter

The Need to Avoid

 Basic Fear: Of loss and separation

Basic Desire: To have inner stability "peace of mind"

Key Motivations: Want to create harmony in their environment, to avoid conflicts and tension, to preserve things as they are, to resist whatever would upset or disturb them.

Nines want to keep the peace, get along with others, and avoid conflict. They tend to take on qualities of the other 8 types, which accounts for the variety within personalities of this type, ranging from gentle to forceful. Nines are accepting, trusting, creative, optimistic, and stable. They are amazing supporters and do a great job of truly seeing and hearing another person. They can be overly willing to go along with others to keep the peace and want everything to go smoothly. They are able to bring people together and heal conflicts. They can also tend to be complacent, simplifying problems and minimizing anything upsetting. They typically have problems with inertia and stubbornness.

At their best: pleasant, peaceful, generous, patient, receptive, diplomatic, open-minded, empathic

At their worst: spaced-out, forgetful, subborn, obsessive, apathetic, passive-aggressive, judgmental, unassertive

Read this profile for a complete description of Type Nine.

Type Nine Bloggers*

Lore Ferguson, Failing Joyfully, Austin Channing Brown, Megan Tietz, Sarah Bessey, Anne Bogel, Brenna D'Ambrosio, Kelly Youngblood, Farm to Table, The Whole Dang Thing

*these are bloggers who identify as type nine; it does not indicate they have participated in the Enneagram and Blogging survey

Typical Topics:

• Faith 

• Theology and the Church

• Unity

• Relationships (parenting, marriage, dating, friendship, etc.)

• General life

• Style and beauty

• Books

• Feminism

• "Green" living

• Food

Why did you start blogging?

While reasons for starting a blog ranged from building a platform to sharing stories with family, many Type Nines reported starting their blog because they:

• were told to (generally, by a loved one)

• needed to feel connected to something

• view themselves as writers and thought it would be a good way to practice their craft and receive feedback

• wanted to build relationships with readers and other bloggers in a way that was comfortable to them

Our Nine respondents generally fell in to two camps. Some feel they are writers, first and foremost. They tend to blog more often as they feel compelled to write regularly. The others did not blog regularly, most of whom did not appear bothered by this.

Do you have any goals related to blogging?

Besides building a platform or working toward publication, Nines want to encourage others. Those who are Christian may want to specifically encourage people in their faith.

Several respondents reported a desire to be more consistent and blog more regularly. Nines tend to do their own thing, regardless of the "rules." As mentioned above, bloggers who identify primarily as writers tend to write more consistently; they just might not do many of the Serious Blogger Recommendations.

Having no blog-related goals was the other popular response, with respondents stating they struggle with goal-setting and follow through. This is a typical struggle for Nines. They can be efficient when they want to be or when they learn the First Things First rule: make a short list of what needs to be accomplished that day and stick to it.

What do you like about blogging?

• Creative outlet

• Writing = peace in their soul

• Friendships/community

• Thoughtful, helpful discussion

• Processing what they think/feel/believe

• Broadended horizons

• Being able to write in their own way and time

• Opportunity to write about and discuss whatever they want, instead of according to others
  

What do you not like about blogging?

Peace-loving Nines especially dislike the divisiveness accompanying the blogosphere. A mean comment can keep them down for days or forever. Fighting makes them squirm. You're unlikely to see Nines leading the pack when it comes to writing about today's controversy. They might have opinions but a harmonious environment is more important to them. They also don't like how many different tribes there are. Why can't we all be one big happy family blogosphere? They want to avoid conflicts and tension.

Speaking of tension, please don't pressure a Nine to build a platform or talk to them about the necessity of competing. This taps in to their need to avoid. Nines often believe their participation isn't necessary or important. Even though they've chosen to blog, they're more comfortable with doing their own thing and not questioning their "brand" or what the point of it all is. Any sort of pressure makes them more likely to go in the opposite direction and they might decide to stop blogging altogether. They desire peace of mind just as much as they want peace in their (blogging) environment.

A few respondents expressed feeling guilty about not being able to respond to comments fast enough or at all. Nines would hate for a reader to be upset if their comment didn't receive a response. At the same time, Nines can't always dedicate more time to their blogs because of other responsibilities. They might turn off comments from time to time in order to save face or avoid wading in to the comment section altogether.

What are your strengths as a blogger?

One of the greatest gifts Nines give us is a peaceful and safe place. They are gifted mediators and peacemakers, which translates well to the blogging medium. They're able to understand every side and don't believe there isn't room for common ground. Healthy Nines aren't afraid to weigh in on potentially controversial matters and they do it in a gracious way that invites civil discussion and thoughtful dialogue. In fact, a balanced Nine who has tapped in to the strengths of their Eight and One wings, can say things in such a way that much good results because we are able to hear it, which is not always the case when an Eight or a One takes charge.

Nines often call us toward a better way. They are gentle prophets. They are great at coming alongside us and helping us see another point of view but also showing us what could be. They are often transparent, which helps readers feel comfortable no matter the topic.

Nines are great people to spend time with, whether in person or across a screen. Their warmth and caring translates well. They are talented at forging community with their readers and with other bloggers. A great example of this comes courtesy of Megan Tietz's blog tagline: "let's pretend we're neighbors."

What are your greatest struggles/temptations as a blogger?

One of the Nine's greatest temptation is to quit blogging. They tend to be non-committal and would rather not be tied down to anything. They might struggle with how often or little they blog. Respondents who feel driven to write reported the blogging medium isn't their best or only outlet. Some of these respondents felt they were great writers but lousy bloggers. Still others press on and continue to blog but often fight against the impulse to throw in the towel or burn down the internet. When stressed, Nines are especially tempted to withdraw, perhaps as a way of preservation.

Nines don't often have a clear sense of themselves and this can filter in to their blog as well. They often seem particularly surprised by how beloved they are or by the opportunities that come their way. They may not be able to define their niche or understand what they contribute to their readers or the blog world at large. Nines need to figure out what they actually want- this is true of their personal life and their blogs. They also need to decide it's worth the effort. Nines can accomplish great things when they decide to be engaged and take action.

The other struggle for Nines is numbing. This won't necessarily be evident in their blogs but in how they consume social media and other blogs. As a way to avoid stress/pain/circumstances, they'll read page after page of blog archives and scroll through Facebook and Pinterest and Instagram. Not bad things in and of themselves but Nines must be mindful of what they are doing and why, especially if this prevents them from working on their own blog posts.

Resources: The Enneagram Institute, The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective (Rohr), Enneagram Made Easy (Baron and Wagele), The Wisdom of the Enneagram (Riso and Hudson)