Greatness Retreat - Outer Work, Inner Work, Great Food, and Laughter!
Hello everyone! As promised, this blog offers an insider's view of the unforgettable Greatness Retreat held in Asheville, NC just a couple of weeks ago. Join me as I reflect on our journey of self-discovery, eating delicious food, and lots and lots of laughter!
The Setting
Picture this with me. On Thursday, April 11th, I pull up to a gorgeous retreat-style home surrounded by lush greenery, waiting for its guests to arrive.
Stepping inside, I find myself in the heart of the home, greeted by a large open room dressed with an impressive floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, soaring vaulted ceilings, and gorgeous wooden accents throughout.
A generous dining area extends a warm invitation, while the adjacent kitchen brags scenic views and a picture-perfect enclosed porch, complete with an inviting bed swing ideal for relaxing or getting lost in a good book.
This meticulously chosen location served as the perfect setting for the inaugural retreat.
Some Background
Let me share a bit about how I became involved with the Greatness Retreat.
In October 2023, my close friend Laura Comilla and I envisioned an event that would combine her love for outdoor activities with life coaching and personal development.
Fast forward to 2024, the dream became a reality when Laura founded the Greatness Retreat with the first retreat on the books for April. It was surreal to see this vision come to life!
Laura invited me to join her team, where we focused on incorporating the Enneagram into the retreat experience. The goal? Helping participants uncover their greatness by understanding their unique personality type, diving into their core motivations, and digging into the 'why' behind their actions.
What is the Enneagram?
For those unfamiliar, the Enneagram is a personality typology framework that outlines nine interconnected personality types. Though its history is debated, it's believed to have ancient spiritual roots. The modern Enneagram system, shaping up in the mid-20th century, offers critical insights into human behavior and motivation.
The workshop gave participants a chance to explore different aspects of the Enneagram System, understanding their core personality type and how it appears in healthy, average, and stress-induced behaviors known as the Levels of Development. Two people with the same core personality type can look very different due to the health of their personality at that point in time.
Self-Awareness and the Enneagram
The Enneagram system can be incredibly insightful for anyone curious about self-discovery. Uncovering self-awareness through the Enneagram can be key to understanding yourself. It's about identifying what defines you and confidently navigating life's challenges with clarity and peace.
But what does this actually mean?It means acknowledging how your core personality type shapes your reactions and decisions in various situations. With this awareness, you become aware and have a choice to enhance your skills enabling you to reach your goals.
For example, let's take a closer look at how different Enneagram types approach conflict:
Type 2, The Helper: These individuals prioritize harmony and avoid confrontation, often striving to be accommodating and supportive.
Type 8, The Challenger: Characterized by their assertiveness, Type 8s confront conflicts head-on, boldly asserting their needs and boundaries.
Type 5, The Investigator: Preferring introspection, Type 5s tend to withdraw during conflicts to analyze the situation internally before proposing solutions.
Understanding these different ways of dealing with conflict improves how you communicate and solve problems for yourself, and it helps you handle conflicts better with others.
Without self-awareness, wrestling with your identity and empathizing with others becomes hard. However, by investing in self-awareness, you increase your chances of success.
For example, imagine aspiring to be an advocate for the elderly. Empathy is crucial in this role. However, depending on your personality type, you may need to improve your ability to be compassionate.
The Enneagram Applied
Through our Enneagram journey at the retreat, participants uncovered their strengths and growth areas. With this new awareness, they can navigate life more effectively and authentically.
We took time during the workshop to analyze the details of each personality type, especially where there were overlapping personality types, to understand which one felt more right and true for each person. We call this “ trying your type on for size”.
Among the 4 participants who completed the RHETI Enneagram assessment, 3 encountered the challenge of determining their core personality type due to competing scores on other personality types.
By the end of the retreat, these participants were more clear about their core personality type by really examining the core motivations of each type.
Note, most tests are about 60% accurate. In part, this is due to an assumption and expectation that people taking the assessment are self-aware.
Only you should determine your personality type.
Coaches are often hired to help navigate and determine your core personality type.
Top Personality Type Results At the Retreat:
Type 1, The Reformer
Type 6, The Loyalist
Type 8, The Challenger
Other Types Represented At the Retreat:
Type 4, The Individualist
Type 7, The Enthusiast
Wrapping up the journey through the Greatness Retreat, I also discovered more about myself through this incredible opportunity. I am deeply grateful to have been a part of it and to have walked alongside amazing women on their journey towards greatness.
If you're interested in exploring your personality type further or you have been wanting to learn more about the Enneagram, we have a FREE webinar you will not want to miss! You can sign up here.
On your side and in your corner,
Lori
