We’re back from break and digging into Type 2 (The Helper) in our Lost in Translation series. What you mean as a simple boundary,“Thanks, I’m good”,can land as rejection to a Two. Damon and Kelly unpack common misinterpretations, offer exact phrases that keep connection and clarity, and share a few “gut triad” confessions about learning to ask for help.

What gets “Lost in Translation” for Type 2

When you say “I don’t need your help,” a Two may hear:

• “You’re not valuable.”
• “You’re making this about you.”
• “You’re too much / smothering.”
• “We’re fine without you.”
• “You crossed a boundary.”

Say It Better (Exact Scripts)

Use/adjust these word-for-word:

1. Affirm + Boundary

• “Thank you, that was really thoughtful. For this one, I need to handle it myself.”
• “I can tell you care. I’m okay for now, but I appreciate you checking.”

1. Affirm + Future Invite

• “You’re great at spotting needs. I’m covered at the moment; if that changes, I’ll reach out.”
• “Could we hold off for now while I get my arms around it? If I need a hand later, I’ll let you know.”

1. Normalize Support

• “I’m learning to ask for help better. If that comes up here, you’ll be the first I ask.”

Why this works

Type 2s link worth to being helpful. Appreciation + clarity keeps connection intact while honoring boundaries.

Reframes & Reflection

• For Speakers (all types):
  • “Am I rejecting the help or the person?”
  • “Can I name their intention before I say no?”
  • “Do I actually need help and pride is answering for me?”
• For Type 2s:
  • “Is this a ‘no’ to the task or a ‘no’ to me?”
  • Truth to practice: “I’m wanted for what I do, and loved for who I am.”

One-week Practice

• Pick one script above and use it once this week.
• If you’re a Two, allow yourself one clean no and receive one no without a story.

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We’re dipping back into the archive with a foundation episode on the Triads—Gut (8-9-1), Heart (2-3-4), and Head (5-6-7). Damon and Kelly break down what each triad prioritizes, the core emotion it wrestles with (anger, shame, fear), and how that shapes decision-making, relationships, and self-care.

You’ll hear practical prompts (like “What was I angry about today?” for Gut types), why Heart types often read your feelings before their own, and how Head types can get stuck in analysis paralysis. It’s a clear, friendly primer you’ll want to revisit and share.

Triads at a glance

• Gut (8, 9, 1): independence, visceral “felt-sense,” quick to act (ready–fire–aim).
  • Growth prompts: “What was I angry about today?” Notice body cues (shoulders, stomach, jaw). Add a pause before acting; check head + heart.
• Heart (2, 3, 4): relationships, recognition, reading the room; often tuned to others’ feelings first.
  • Growth prompts: Schedule solitude; name your feelings; practice “I’m worthy even when I’m not helping/performing/standing out.”
• Head (5, 6, 7): thinking, planning, safety; vulnerable to analysis paralysis.
  • Growth prompts: Set decision deadlines; move the body (walks, workouts, nature); notice what fear is asking for—and act anyway.

Decision-making tips by triad

• Gut: Add thinking time + a quick feelings check.
• Heart: Ask, “What do I feel and need—apart from others’ reactions?”
• Head: Limit research; choose one next step; time-box the decision.

Try this this week

• Journal one line per day:
  • Gut: “Today I felt anger when… and I felt it in my…”
  • Heart: “Today my feeling was… not just others’.”
  • Head: “Today I decided ___ by ___ o’clock and took the first step.”

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Today we’re revisiting a deep-dive conversation from our Enneagram U days, all about the Harmony Triads.

Damon and Kelly unpack this advanced Enneagram teaching, showing how each triad (3-6-9, 2-5-8, and 1-4-7) holds a unique way of experiencing the world through head, heart, and gut. You’ll hear the humor, real-life tangents, and even Damon’s skepticism as Kelly explains why the triads matter, what each number has “lost,” and how these insights can become transformative rather than just prescriptive.

If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond surface-level Enneagram knowledge into richer growth and connection, this episode is for you.

You’ll learn:

• What the three Harmony Triads are (3-6-9, 2-5-8, and 1-4-7).
• Why each number in the triads has “lost” something important and how that shapes their struggles.
• How Threes, Sixes, and Nines help us thrive in everyday life.
• Why Twos, Fives, and Eights wrestle with rejection and how they seek power in relationships.
• How Ones, Fours, and Sevens long for the ideal world, and how frustration shapes their journey.
• The difference between prescriptive Enneagram teachings and the more transformative work of the triads.
• Why embracing frustration and noticing what’s lost is part of real growth.

Whether this is your first exposure to Harmony Triads or you’re an Enneagram 401 student, you’ll walk away with practical insights, a few laughs, and plenty to process.

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