Enneagram Five Newsletter Issue #023 My favorite 3-minute brain hack for instant flow state ↓ Last month, I stumbled into a habit that surprised me: I’ve been swinging a rope in my backyard like a kid at recess. And it’s one of the best tools I’ve found for getting out of my head and into flow. Not flow like “deep creative focus after 45 minutes of fiddling with your desk setup.” I mean full-body rhythm, emotional presence, and mental clarity—within about three minutes. It’s called Rope Flow....
3 days ago • 3 min read
Enneagram Five Newsletter Issue #022 You’re not socially awkward—you’re emotionally cautious ↓ In high school, I used to think there was something wrong with me. I’d go to youth group and feel completely out of place. Everyone else seemed to flow so easily in conversation—making jokes, telling stories, jumping into social games—while I stood off to the side, overthinking every possible thing I could say. For years, I assumed I was just socially awkward. But looking back, I wasn’t struggling...
10 days ago • 3 min read
Enneagram Five Newsletter Issue #021 There’s a hidden dashboard inside you ↓ I didn’t used to think of myself as an “emotional” person. I figured if something was really wrong, I’d know because I’d think about it. Analyze it. Solve it. But looking back, most of my worst emotional spirals didn’t start with a thought. They started with a clench in my chest. A shallow breath. A tension in my jaw I didn’t notice until it was too late. By the time my brain caught up, my body had already been...
17 days ago • 3 min read
Enneagram Five Newsletter Issue #020 You’re not bored, you’re overstimulated ↓ I grew up as a total TV addict. One time, I missed an entire week of school and work because I was glued to the first three seasons of Lost. It wasn’t just about entertainment. I craved anything that kept my brain engaged. As long as it offered enough stimulation to hold off boredom, I was hooked. But looking back, I wasn’t just avoiding boredom. I was avoiding the uncomfortable feelings that came with stillness....
24 days ago • 3 min read
Enneagram Five Newsletter Issue #019 I let fear control me for three years ↓ I once drove around with expired tags for three years. I kept telling myself it was going to be this huge hassle. I’d need to find the right paperwork, wait in long lines, maybe even deal with a fine or some sort of legal trouble. I imagined the worst-case scenario so vividly, it convinced me to keep putting it off. Then one day, I finally did it. It took five minutes. I walked in, filled out a form, paid a small...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Enneagram Five Newsletter Issue #018 You’re not lazy, you’re just not resting ↓ This weekend, I’m renting a local Airbnb and having a bro weekend with a few of my oldest friends. No responsibilities. No kids. Just video games, junk food, and goofing off like it’s 2004. It’s a Father’s Day gift to myself and honestly, a survival strategy. Because as a Five, I’ve learned something the hard way: most of the things I do to “rest” don’t actually help me recover. They just keep me comfortably...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Enneagram Five Newsletter Issue #017 Why being the “smart one” is a trap ↓ Growing up, I never felt like I fit in. I chalked it up to being wired differently. I was analytical, introspective, always thinking a few layers deeper than everyone else seemed to be. And eventually, I decided that maybe I just wasn’t meant to belong. But that wasn’t the full story. What I didn’t realize back then was that I had stopped trying. Not because I didn’t care, but because I cared too much. I was terrified...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Enneagram Five Newsletter Issue #016 You’re not stuck because of lack of discipline ↓ For most of my life, I struggled to consistently exercise. I knew it was good for me. I had all the information. I even paid for personal training. But it never stuck. Because deep down, I didn’t believe I was the kind of person who enjoyed working out. I told myself I wasn’t built for it. That I was too in-my-head. That it just wasn’t me. Then one day, I tried something different. I started telling myself:...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Enneagram Five Newsletter Issue #015 Boredom isn't the problem, it's the answer ↓ As you already know, the mind of a Five is both a refuge and a trap. We retreat into it to feel safe, in control, and less vulnerable. But the more we stay in our heads, the harder it becomes to inhabit our lives. Being present challenges that habit. It asks us to stop analyzing and start experiencing. To be with what is, without escaping into thought. And the doorway back to presence often starts with something...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Enneagram Five Newsletter Issue #014 Why cringe is the bridge to confidence ↓ Recently, I shared with you how everything in me wanted to skip my first kickball game. New people, loud bar, unfamiliar activity, and my nervous system said nope. But, I went anyway. What I didn’t tell you is what happened next. Each week, the same pattern played out: I’d show up, fumble through, and leave feeling a bit awkward and unsure. I’d second-guess how I acted, what I said, whether I fit in at all. And...
2 months ago • 2 min read