When a Role Doesn’t Fit: Masks and the Pressure to Fit In
Most of us wear masks and play different roles in life, sometimes to fit in, make others comfortable, or meet expectations about who we should be. But how do you know when you’re adapting to a situation and when you’re trying to be someone you’re not??
In Part 2 of this 3-part Halloween series, Sandy looks at the masks we wear, the roles we play, and how the Enneagram can help us understand some of the patterns behind the way we adapt to others.
She talks about shapeshifting, including how it can show up for Enneagram Types 2 and 3, and why we sometimes lose touch with who we are underneath the image we present to the world.
Sandy also gets into what happens when you’re miscast in a role that doesn’t fit your strengths or who you are. Along the way, you’ll meet Clark Kent (and the questions about his glasses that keep Sandy up at night), a very miscast Jason Momoa in Little Shop of Horrors (spoiler alert: the plant files a restraining order), and two real-life coaching stories about the difference between growing into a new role and forcing yourself into something that was never a good fit.
In this episode:
• Why we wear masks, the pressure to fit in, and how our behavior can change depending on who we’re with
• What the Enneagram can teach us about adapting to other people, particularly through the patterns of Types 2 and 3
• How to recognize when a role doesn’t fit, even when you’re working hard to make it work
• Why feeling uncomfortable in a new role isn’t always a bad sign
• How to tell the difference between personal growth and trying to live up to someone else’s expectations
The goal isn’t to stay in roles that feel comfortable or avoid every situation that challenges us. It’s to know ourselves well enough to recognize when we’re growing into something meaningful and when we’re exhausting ourselves trying to be someone we’re not.
This is Part 2 of a three-part Halloween series. Next week, Sandy heads down into the basement to open some boxes you may have been avoiding for years. Bring a flashlight!
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Part 1 of the Halloween Series - The Costumes We Wear:What Your Enneagram Type Reveals About You
https://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149266723
Learn more about working with Sandy:
https://www.swansoncoaching.com/
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masks we wear, roles we play, when a role doesn’t fit, miscast, trying to be someone you’re not, pressure to fit in, fitting in at work, Enneagram, Enneagram Type 2, Enneagram Type 3, shapeshifting, people-pleasing, self-awareness, personal growth, identity, workplace roles, career fit, expectations, coaching, finding yourself, Halloween, Sandy Swanson, Beyond the Type
