Exploring the Shadow with Jonathan Merritt (Enneagram 3)

Whether there's a three in your life or you are a three yourself, you're probably aware that threes are not naturally self-reflective. They tend to be externally focused rather than internally focused. The big message that threes receive growing up is that it's not okay to have your own feelings and identity, so they expend a lot of energy creating, projecting and maintaining a false image in order to be admired and accepted.

Projecting this false image makes it very challenging for three's to answer the question, "Who am I behind the mask?" Let's face it, self-acceptance is difficult for all of us, but it is particularly difficult, for twos, threes and fours in the feeling space. So, I think a very important part of the journey for threes is reclaiming and integrating that splintered child that got thrown into the shadow large pieces of him that need to be owned again.

This week, author/writer Jonathan Merritt joins me in a discussion about processing the pain behind the mask and pushing past the lies we tell ourselves in order to move closer to self-acceptance.

A contributing writer for The Atlantic and a contributing editor for The Week, Jonathan Merritt is one of America's most prolific and trusted faith and culture writers. He has published more than 3,000 articles in outlets such as the New York Times, USA Today, National Journal, Christianity Today, Washington Post, and CNN.com and is the author of numerous critically acclaimed books including Jesus is Better Than You Imagined.

Jonathan holds graduate degrees from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Emory University's Candler School of Theology. He resides in Brooklyn, NY.