How your personality affects relationships
and how to overcome self-limitations

We all know that different people have different personality types. But how many different types are there? What are they? And how do they effect our relationships?

According to the most useful system I have encountered — it’s called the “Enneagram” — there are nine basic personality archetypes. We all have some of each archetype within us. But we tend to concentrate most of our energy in just one type, or a couple of types.

In this series, I will describe the nine archetypes in the Enneagram system of personality profiling, and the expected problems each type will have in love and relationships. I will also describe how each type can personally grow to overcome any of their self-limiting beliefs.

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Excerpt from Relationship Tools for Positive Change
by John Grey, Ph.D.

We all know that sooner or later the honeymoon is over.

It may last weeks, months, or even years. But it does end. And then another phase of relationship begins….

Is “real life” finally entering the equation? Does perfect love somehow just slip away? Sadly, many couples look back at a honeymoon only to feel they lost something, the rest of the relationship never quite measuring up to it.

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Most People Dream about Having a Soulmate…
But Few Turn the Dream into a Reality

The idea of a soulmate has both conscious or unconscious elements. Even if we do not intellectually believe in soulmates, we are still affected.

Many people openly and consciously yearn for a soulmate. They may even believe one person is out there for them, that “right” person.

But even those who don’t believe in soulmates consciously are just as affected by a similar idea that operates unconsciously — and more powerfully. We all hold some unconscious list of notions describing an “ideal” relationship partner.

But reality inevitably fails to match our ideals. And we judge and react to real people according to our ideals. As a result, many relationships that have potential are blocked, if not lost. And dissatisfaction, unhappiness and upsets are unconsciously generated.

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Excerpt from Relationship Tools for Positive Change
by John Grey, Ph.D.

When many of us try to “work” on our relationship, the form of our communication does not work at all.

Instead of resolving important issues, we may create even bigger problems and more upset feelings. Many of the ways that we try to communicate do not work. Talking can go in circles for hours, and never get anywhere. The same issues just keep coming up again.

How you talk makes a difference. How you communicate is like choosing the road you take. The road you take is how you act, talk and express your feelings, especially when faced with challenges or upset.

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