Type Five with Courtney Garrison

Courtney Garrison is a wife, mom, and speech & language pathologist. She is also my dear friend. I call her my “Enneagram best friend” because we always want to talk about it! Now that I know more about Courtney, the Enneagram is teaching me how to be a better friend to her. I am so excited for you to learn a little more about the life of a Five.

How long have you known about the Enneagram? 

I first learned about the Enneagram a little over a year ago, but I didn’t really start studying it until about six months ago. I first mistyped myself as a Nine, and I also identify with a Six, but I know now that I am a Five: the Investigator/Observer.

What do you wish people knew about your type? 

I think Fives are often misunderstood. Fives have a limited amount of energy, and every experience in the world costs a little bit. Most of the time, it’s so worth it, but that may be why a Five can seem withdrawn or private. As a Five, I need to process my feelings in private and after the fact. Being emotional in front of people outside of my inner circle feels way too vulnerable. Because I save those feelings to deal with when I’m alone or with a “safe person,” I know that I can be perceived as emotionally withholding. Because I’m good at observing my surroundings, I can be perceived as being withdrawn. I want people to know that Fives love people too, and love interacting with people. A Five may need more help and encouragement than other numbers to be active participants and share inner thoughts and feelings.

What do you like about being your type? 

I like being a Five because I am never ever bored. I listen to 6-8 podcasts a week and read about 2-3 books a month. Today alone I listened to an interview with an author, googled the history of an old building I happened to walk past, and studied a map of Turkey because a chapter in a book I was reading took place there. I’m a full-fledged nerd, and never lack for things I’m interested to learn about. I also like being a Five because it’s fairly easy for me to compartmentalize my life. While there are negatives to this, it also means I work really well when I’m at work, and rarely take it home with me.

What challenge(s) does being your type bring? 

It’s hard to be a Five because I have to be intentional to engage, not just observe, my surroundings, especially when they are new or uncomfortable. It’s hard for me to take risks, and sometimes hard to be assertive. Studying the Enneagram is helping me to see these areas in my life and challenging me to grow.

This is part of a 31-day series: The Enneagram. To read all posts, head here.