Knowing Thy Self

Based on the enneagram, I am number 2, the helper. Based on the descriptions, I believe I'm a generous, caring and warm person. I love to give something in my own simplest little way even to the point of being unconsciously or unintentionally abused. Recently, I've been helping my older brother who is out of work for more than 3 months now. Considering the fact that he already has his own family with one child, I've been practically assisting him financially and emotionally whenever he asks me to because I always feel guilty if I could not be able to offer something for him. It shows in here the hard thing about being a helpful person, in which I keep on helping him yet I am feeling drained from doing it. Moreover, I always ensure that I make myself available as much as I can, even if I'm too busy. I really have a hard time saying no because I'm afraid that my brother or someone who needs me might get disappointed or mad at me. It makes me feel uncomfortable whenever I have this certain gap not only with someone related to me but also with other people around me. I have observed that most of my friends back in the province, texts and calls me just to share their latest good and bad experiences, may it be personal or work-related. Perhaps they knew that I won't turn them down whenever they needed someone to listen to because I've been a good confidant for them.

I'm perceptive about others' feelings especially when someone is new in the group like in this organization where I've been a member for 3 years now. I've observed that this young lady could not relate to the topic being discussed about and I've felt that she's somewhat out of place because everyone seems to know each other already and she was there in the room, stuck in her chair, pretending that she's ok but I could sense that she's not. I initiated to approach her and began talking to her just to make her feel at home and comfortable. As the conversation went, we found out that we have a lot in common. A few days later, she added me in her friend's list in friendster and she made a wonderful testimony about that incident which really is flattering. This is just a clear manifestation that I am being able to relate too easily to people and to make friends.

I've been consistently sympathetic or compassionate to others especially to the less fortunate people around me. I can't help but give a penny or something to eat or buy their product whenever I get to encounter them down the road even if my friends would say that it is not really the right thing to do. When I was in high school and college, even up to now in this corporate world, I like joining community service initiatives like GK build, tree planting, Christmas package drive, or run for a cause, to name a few. I have gone an extra mile as far as extra-curricular activity for a cause is concerned.