4 Resolutions Every Enneagram 8 Should Make This New Year

If you’re a true Enneagram 8, you’re probably already goal-setting for the New Year and beyond. Type 8s can’t help but think ahead and set targets and challenges to add structure to their lives.

If you’re doing the same, why not make room for some alternative resolutions this year? As well as pursuing all-important professional achievements, try opening up to resolutions that give your life more balance too.

Here are four resolutions every Enneagram 8 should make this year for stronger relationships and better wellbeing.

1. Lean into your friendships

If you’re an Enneagram 8 then it’s likely you don’t have any problems taking control in your relationships. You're ultra-confident and independent and you’re probably used to being surrounded by people who look up to you.

So this resolution might be a little bit confusing… One essential resolution you should make this year is to lean into your friendships.

That doesn’t mean making more friends or spending more time with random acquaintances. It means opening up to the friends who are closest to you.

It’s time to work on being honest and vulnerable. To see what it’s like when you let your guard down. If you can open up to your closest friends, you can develop a stronger, deeper bond with them.

Chances are, some of your friends are desperate to have more open and honest communication with you already. But they might be too worried about being judged for it. As a naturally assertive personality type, it needs to come from you first.

Vulnerability and emotional honesty are the foundations for meaningful relationships. Though it might seem daunting, developing these kinds of friendships can be enormously freeing and comforting.

So here’s your resolution: I will arrange to meet up with a close friend and share something with them that I have been too scared to tell anyone else.

This resolution is small and simple but it could make a huge difference to your friendship. And once you find the words to share this first private thing, you’ll be able to open the doors for more vulnerability going forward. 

2. Set a habit for showing your appreciation

Next up, we’re tackling gratitude.

Enneagram 8s can often struggle to show their appreciation to the people around them, especially the ones they see every day. The fiercely self-sufficient nature of Type 8s means they struggle to acknowledge the work and actions of others.

You might be thinking “I say thank you all the time!” but we’re not talking about your barista or your work colleagues here.

Practicing gratitude means showing the people you love that you care about them. In the rush of day-to-day life, it can be easy to forget to acknowledge your family and closest friends.

So here’s your resolution: Once every month, I will surprise my partner/my family/my best friend with a gift and thank them for being in my life.

The gift can be something as simple as buying or preparing their favorite food or it could be a whole day filled with their favorite activities. Think about the person you want to show gratitude to and tailor the gift to them.

The most important thing is to dedicate the time every month, at least once, to say thank you. No phones, no distractions, no talking about yourself. Just pure appreciation for the person or people you care about the most.

3. Make time for mindfulness

If there’s one thing Enneagram 8s find hard it’s stopping and paying attention to the swirling thoughts and fears in their heads.

So here’s a resolution you should make this year: making time for mindfulness.

Mindfulness practices are essential for reducing stress and anxiety. They can also help you process difficult situations and challenges in a constructive way. Rather than letting your thoughts spiral, use mindfulness as a way to work through problems and get some much needed headspace.

Enneagram 8s are excellent at self-improvement but they can often neglect the areas that focus on self-reflection and emotional intelligence. 

With this in mind, here’s your next resolution: I will spend 1 hour 3 times per week on a mindfulness activity that helps me to slow down, be present and become more aware of my inner self.

It’s not hard to carve out 3 hours a week for mindfulness. If you think you don’t have time, then work on fitting that activity somewhere into your ordinary schedule. For instance, listening to a meditation podcast when you’re doing the washing up or on your evening commute.

Some other easy mindfulness activities include:

• Journaling before bed
• Walking in a green space
• Dancing or listening to music
• Gardening
• Doing a breathing exercise

These simple activities can all help you tune into your inner self and how you’re feeling, helping you to process any stress or issues you’re facing that week.

4. Contribute to a cause you care about

If you want to be able to look back on the new year and see a concrete change you’ve made in your life, try this resolution...

Enneagram 8s are happiest when they’re being champions for ideas, people and causes that they care about. As a Type 8, you most likely pride yourself on making an impact, so why not use that trait to inform your resolution this year? 

Here’s the resolution: I will dedicate X amount of time every month to contribute to X cause.

What exactly this resolution entails will depend a lot on what you’re passionate about. It might mean volunteering, raising money or spreading the word in your community about something you think is important. Or it might be something completely different. Let your own values guide this one and see how much you can achieve in a year.

Ready to set your resolutions?

Type 8s love to put on a front of being fearless, determined and endlessly energetic but to be the best version of yourself, you also need to work on developing the more vulnerable sides of your personality. These 4 resolutions can help you have a healthier, happier and all around better New Year. Which resolutions will you set?