Beyond the Type: An Enneagram-Inspired Podcast about Being Human.

Sandy Swanson, PCC, NBC-HWC, A-CFHC, Holistic Life and Leadership Coach
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Daily

Beyond the Type is an Enneagram-inspired podcast about the beautiful mess of being human, inspired by the notion that you don't need to be fixed, you need to be found. Hosted by Sandy Swanson, Certifed Life and Leadership Coach, this show explores how personality, communication, and self-awareness shape our relationships - with ourselves and with each other - for better or for worse. Who among us hasn't felt lost, confused, or unsure of who we are authentically and what we want out of life...? Whether you’re Enneagram-curious or deep into your growth journey, this podcast is your space for meaningful conversations, some frank truth-telling, and maybe a few laughs along the way. Together, we’ll unpack the patterns that hold us back, explore what makes us tick, and learn how to live with more compassion, clarity, and connection. Download my free Communication Guide here: https://www.swansoncoaching.com/communication

  1. 6d ago

    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! ___ Part 1 of the Halloween Series -  The Costumes We Wear: What Your Enneagram Type Reveals About Youhttps://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/ ___ 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

  2. Oct 17

    The Costumes We Wear: What your Enneagram type reveals about you

    If you had a closet full of costumes, which one would you reach for first? Not a witch’s hat or a vampire cape, but the familiar roles we slip into without a second thought: the one who gets things done, the one everyone counts on, the one who smooths over an awkward moment before anyone else notices. In this first episode of a three-part Halloween series, Sandy opens the closet door and walks through a wardrobe of very recognizable (and very stereotypical) costumes, from the leather jacket to the pressed shirt, the floral dress and pearls to the pocket protector. She also shares her own childhood costume as “the silly one,” complete with a mime and a Marcel Marceau quote. Along the way, Sandy offers a look at the Enneagram’s nine motivations and why the costume that feels most natural isn’t always the one that feels most comfortable. In this episode: A tour of nine costumes The difference between a costume that feels comfortable and one that feels natural Why you can wear a role for years and forget it has a zipper What motivates us to wear these costumes A simple way to sort your closet: keep it, tailor it, or move it to the back Your costumes aren’t fake, and you don’t have to throw any of them out. The more clearly you can see which one you’re wearing, the more choice you have about when to put it on. ___Connect with me at SwansonCoaching.com ___Enneagram, Enneagram types, Enneagram podcast, Enneagram motivations, Halloween, personal development, life coach podcast, roles we play, family roles, childhood roles, people-pleasing, perfectionism, self-awareness, emotional awareness, patterns and habits, personality patterns, motivation, authenticity, choice, belonging, self-trust, holistic coaching, leadership coach, ICF certified coach, NBC-HWC health and wellness coach, Beyond the Type, Sandy Swanson, SwansonCoaching

  3. Oct 10

    How to Say No Without Feeling Like a Jerk: Learning to Trust Yourself, Set Boundaries, and Let Other People Be Disappointed

    Saying no can be surprisingly difficult, especially when you’ve learned to equate being kind with keeping other people happy. You may know what you want to say, but then the guilt kicks in, you start explaining yourself, or you worry that someone will think you’re selfish, difficult, or just a jerk. In this episode, Sandy shares a text exchange with a friend and uses it to explore how to say no without feeling guilty or like a jerk. She offers three simple scripts for setting boundaries, looks at where the "jerk" feeling comes from, and shows how the Enneagram can shape what makes saying "no" feel easy or hard. In this episode: Why the other person's reaction can't measure the quality of a boundary Three simple ways to say no: the counteroffer, the pause, and the short, kind no Where the "jerk" feeling comes from, and a body check to find out what your yes and your no are telling you How Enneagram Types 2, 9, 6, 7, 8, and 5 tend to experience saying no, including why a strong boundary isn't always a healthy one A simple filter image for deciding what you let in and what you keep out With strong boundaries, others can be disappointed *and* you can still be a good person. The more you practice, the more you learn to trust your own voice. ___Learn more about working with me:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/work-with-me Beyond the Type episode on Nonviolent Communication:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149112636 ___ how to say no without feeling guilty, how to say no without feeling like a jerk, how to say no without sounding like a jerk, saying no without guilt, how to say no politely, how to say no nicely, scripts for saying no, how to set boundaries, setting boundaries, boundaries and guilt, guilt after saying no, people-pleasing, how to stop people pleasing, difficult conversations, assertive communication, Nonviolent Communication, self-trust, finding your voice,  Enneagram, Enneagram boundaries, Enneagram Type 2, Enneagram Type 5, Enneagram Type 6, Enneagram Type 7, Enneagram Type 8, Enneagram Type 9, personal development podcast, life coach podcast, holistic coaching podcast, Sandy Swanson, Swanson Coaching

  4. Oct 3

    4 Ways the Enneagram Can Help You Have a More Balanced Life (...and better relationships/communication too)

    Have you ever felt fine one moment, and then the next moment something throws you completely off balance? Life is like that.  And the Enneagram can be an excellent framework for regaining balance. In this episode, Sandy uses a hiking trail (and one spectacularly ungraceful cat) to explore what balance looks like through the lens of the Enneagram. Rather than treating balance as a fixed state you finally arrive at, Sandy reframes it as a series of small, constant adjustments. She also walks you through four aspects of the Enneagram that can help you see where those adjustments are needed most. This episode explores: Why balance isn't the absence of movement, and what that reframe means for how we use the Enneagram day-to-day Centers of Intelligence and Stance: how we take in the world, and how we move through it to get our needs met Harmonic Groups: the three different ways we respond when things get difficult, including a true story about a hiking accident on a Colorado 14er Instincts: where our attention and energy naturally go, and how self-preservation, social, and sexual instincts shape each Enneagram type Why trying to be balanced all the time isn't actually the goal (and what is) Balance is never about standing still. It's about knowing how to adjust, one small shift at a time.Sign up to be the first to know about new episodes, articles, programs, and offers:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/ ___ Podcast on pressure and balance: When Self-Improvement Becomes Another Way to Fail: Finding the balance between challenging yourself and giving yourself some gracehttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/when-self-improvement-becomes-another-way-to-fail-finding/id1822403955?i=1000791758415 Podcast on Dolly Parton:  What was Dolly Parton's Enneagram Type?  (a nerdy dive into ambition, motivation, and subtypes)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-was-dolly-partons-enneagram-type-a-nerdy-dive/id1822403955?i=1000788012166 Podcast on Stance: Why You Talk Too Much, Withdraw, or Bulldoze Peoplehttps://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149067197 ___Enneagram, centers of intelligence, stance, harmonic groups, instincts, self preservation, social, sexual, one to one, subtypes, personal growth, self awareness, nervous system regulation, coaching, ICF certified coach, NBC-HWC health and wellness coach, Sandy Swanson, Beyond the Type podcast, Enneagram Type 1, Enneagram Type 2, Enneagram Type 3, Enneagram Type 4, Enneagram Type 5, Enneagram Type 6, Enneagram Type 7, Enneagram Type 8, Enneagram Type 9, holistic coaching emotional balance

  5. Sep 26

    When Self-Improvement Becomes Another Way to Fail: Finding the balance between challenging yourself and giving yourself some grace

    Have you ever tried to relax, meditate, or simply enjoy a walk outside, and ended up feeling like you failed at it? In this episode, Sandy explores the pressure to optimize even our rest:  to meditate without a single wandering thought, to be fully present in nature without a trace of distraction, to regulate every emotion before it shows up. Using a story from a recent hike (and a chatty bird that refused to cooperate with a bird ID app) alongside an experience gleaned from a circus high-wire act, she gets into what it actually means to find balance, and why trying to be perfectly balanced can become its own kind of pressure. In this episode: Why turning self-improvement into a standard to meet often backfires The difference between challenging yourself and punishing yourself What a circus performer falling off a high wire has to do with self-improvement How the Enneagram's stances and centers of intelligence point toward balance rather than perfection A simple shift for giving yourself grace when you notice you're distracted, curious, or simply being human If you've ever felt like you were failing at relaxing, or failing at growth itself, this episode offers a different way to think about what balance actually requires. Connect with me:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/  ___self-improvement pressure, when self-improvement becomes too much, personal growth burnout, pressure to optimize yourself, mindfulness pressure, how to stop overthinking meditation, wellness culture pressure, balance not perfection, self-acceptance, grace vs discipline, presence and distraction, overthinking, comparison and self-judgment, Enneagram stances, Enneagram centers of intelligence, head heart gut balance, Enneagram, personal development podcast, life coach podcast, holistic coaching, nervous system, self-compassion, emotional regulation, meditation struggles, being present in nature, Beyond the Type, Sandy Swanson, SwansonCoaching

  6. Sep 19

    The Comparison Trap: The trouble with measuring your life against someone else’s

    You know that feeling when you're scrolling on social media, and you see a former classmate who just bought a lake house, and you think, "Why isn't my life like that?" Or you're up for a promotion at work, you look around and decide everyone else is more qualified, so what's the point? In this episode of Beyond the Type, Sandy explores comparison, using a "mirror and window" metaphor to unpack why we measure ourselves against everyone else's life instead of our own. Drawing on Leon Festinger's social comparison theory, Sandy looks at why the comparisons that hit hardest are the ones closest to us (and how social media has widened what "close" even means - yes, I'm talking about those influencers and people you follow and see every day in your feed!). Sandy also brings in the Enneagram, focusing on Type 4's relationship to envy, and closes with a somatic exercise she uses with her clients to help listeners feel the difference between comparison and its opposite:  Presence, enoughness, and abundance. This episode explores: The mirror and window metaphor, and why the window is so much easier to look at Leon Festinger's social comparison theory, and why the comparisons closest to us affect us most How online relationships (with influencers, creators, even TV characters) can make a stranger feel as close as someone in your own life Why Type 4 energy, and its passion of envy, has comparison built into its wiring A somatic exercise to help you feel the shift from comparison and scarcity into presence and abundance Comparison isn't something to eliminate. It's something to notice, and you get to choose which one you're looking at:  the window, or your own mirror.  ___ Beyond the Type episode on Enneagram Passions:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149131772 ___comparison, social comparison theory, why do I compare myself, comparing yourself to others, envy, Enneagram Type 4, Enneagram passions, self-trust, abundance mindset, scarcity mindset, social media comparison, parasocial relationships, influencers and self-esteem, Leon Festinger, somatic exercise, nervous system, self-worth, personal development podcast, life coach podcast, holistic coaching, Enneagram, emotional awareness, self-awareness, Sandy Swanson, Beyond the Type

  7. Sep 5

    What Was Dolly Parton's Enneagram Type? (a nerdy dive into ambition, motivation, and subtypes)

    Following Dolly Parton's passing, Sandy found herself stuck on a question with no clean answer:  What was Dolly's Enneagram type? In this episode, Sandy dives down the Enneagram-nerd-rabbit-hole and makes the case for three possibilities:  Nine, Two, and Three, and ends up landing somewhere a little more useful than just a guess. Sandy brings subtype into the conversation, explaining how this can really affect how a type presents itself, and offers the names assigned to a few of the 27 subtypes (one of them is particularly fitting!). Along the way, she uses a spontaneous performance in an Irish pub to show how the same behavior can come from completely different motivations, depending on the person and the subtype underneath. Sandy explores: Why behavior alone doesn’t tell us someone’s Enneagram type  How instinctual subtype can dramatically change how a type presents What Dolly’s ambition, generosity, positivity, and public persona might suggest about Types 9, 2, and 3 Why the same behavior can come from completely different motivations How coaches can use curiosity, rather than certainty, to help clients uncover what is really driving their patterns And yes, there’s a little “cup of ambition” along the way. Whether you’re an Enneagram nerd, a coach, or simply someone trying to understand the people in your life a little better, there are useful questions underneath all of this: What if you’re wrong about what you think you know about someone? And what becomes possible when you stay curious long enough to find out...?___Lines and Arrows episode (Swimming Upstream: Using the Enneagram Lines and Arrows for Personal Growth): https://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149079311 Subtypes episode (Why Do I Feel Lonely When I Have Friends?):https://www.swansoncoaching.com/podcasts/beyond-the-type-an-enneagram-inspired-podcast-about-being-human/episodes/2149207913 Are you a coach looking for support? Check out my group mentor coaching program, Patterns, Presence, and the Enneagram. NBHWC and ICF approved for CEs and CCEs. The October cohort is open now. Learn more here and use the code FOUNDING to receive a discount: https://www.swansoncoaching.com/coaches-enneagram Book a Typing Interview: Curious to learn more about the Enneagram and which types you lead with?  Schedule a typing interview with Sandy here:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/typinginterview___Enneagram Institute (Don Riso and Russ Hudson):https://www.enneagraminstitute.com Book: The Complete Enneagram (Beatrice Chestnut):https://amzn.to/4xybcYr Music:  Trio II album (Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Linda Rondstadt):https://amzn.to/4h32j32 Video:  Dolly at the Irish Pub:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py1SJ39dwS4Coffee:  Cup of Ambition:https://www.cupofambition.com/___ Dolly Parton, Enneagram, Enneagram types, Enneagram Type 9, Enneagram Type 2, Enneagram Type 3, Enneagram subtypes, instinctual variants, self-preservation instinct, social instinct, sexual instinct, Claudio Naranjo, Oscar Ichazo, Beatrice Chestnut, The Complete Enneagram, behavior vs motivation, personality patterns, personal development, coaching skills, mentor coaching, Enneagram typing interview, Enneagram test mistakes, mistyping, cup of ambition, self-trust, curiosity, Beyond the Type, Sandy Swanson, SwansonCoaching, ICF certified coach, NBC-HWC health and wellness coach, life coach podcast

  8. Aug 29

    How Your Enneagram Type Runs Your Life: The "Job" You Never Signed Up For

    Have you ever realized you're doing a job you never actually applied for? Maybe you're the one who keeps the peace, fixes what's wrong, takes care of everyone, stays prepared, or makes sure everything gets done.  In this Enneagram episode, Sandy looks at the nine types as different "jobs," the patterns each of us can fall into without even realizing it. This episode explores: The invisible job each Enneagram type can take on, and what it's really trying to get, avoid, or protect us from What these patterns can cost us when they run on autopilot A reflection question for each type to help you notice your own pattern in real time A simple process for catching yourself in these patterns, and what support looks like to help you How to start choosing your patterns on purpose instead of running them by default Your Enneagram type doesn't have to run your life. The more clearly you can see the pattern, the more choice you have about what happens next.___ Learn more about Enneagram typing interviews here:https://www.swansoncoaching.com/typinginterview___ Enneagram, self-trust, Enneagram types, personality patterns, personal development, Enneagram typing interview, Enneagram test mistakes, mistyping, self-abandonment, boundaries, people-pleasing, autopilot behavior, empowered decision-making, reflective questions, finding your voice, coaching, ICF certified coach, NBC-HWC health and wellness coach, Sandy Swanson, Beyond the Type podcast, Enneagram Type 1, Enneagram Type 2, Enneagram Type 3, Enneagram Type 4, Enneagram Type 5, Enneagram Type 6, Enneagram Type 7, Enneagram Type 8, Enneagram Type 9, nine Enneagram types, core patterns, personal growth, life coaching, mentor coaching

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Beyond the Type is an Enneagram-inspired podcast about the beautiful mess of being human, inspired by the notion that you don't need to be fixed, you need to be found. Hosted by Sandy Swanson, Certifed Life and Leadership Coach, this show explores how personality, communication, and self-awareness shape our relationships - with ourselves and with each other - for better or for worse. Who among us hasn't felt lost, confused, or unsure of who we are authentically and what we want out of life...? Whether you’re Enneagram-curious or deep into your growth journey, this podcast is your space for meaningful conversations, some frank truth-telling, and maybe a few laughs along the way. Together, we’ll unpack the patterns that hold us back, explore what makes us tick, and learn how to live with more compassion, clarity, and connection. Download my free Communication Guide here: https://www.swansoncoaching.com/communication

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