We can look around and know that God loves variety.

Every leaf falls in a different size and shape and color. Every day the weather is different. The waves never crash the same way. Every snowflake falls with its own distinct pattern. Every person has his or her own fingerprint.

Even in the church, members don’t all have the same function (Romans 12:4) we all have different gifts that are supposed to be used to further the kingdom (1 Peter 4:10). We all have different strengths and weaknesses. Our personalities differ. So our morning routines are going to look different as well.

Let’s take a look at each Enneagram Type and some morning habit ideas that are specially crafted for that type.

Reformers: They are teachers, crusaders, and advocates for change: always striving to improve things, but afraid of making a mistake. Well-organized, orderly, and fastidious, they try to maintain high standards, but can slip into being critical and perfectionistic.

Let’s face it. Reformers are probably the best morning people. They get up at 5:30, go to CrossFit with their organic protein smoothie, they come home in time to do 100 push-ups, shower, and then have a hour long Bible study of Deuteronomy, all before their families wake up. You guys are killing the game! Share all your secrets!

“But sometimes type 1s are quick to forget to experience and enjoy the process.” So maybe this month try to smile for 30 seconds in the morning (“sounds silly, but it may spread to your face and then to your heart and you will have that joy the rest of your day”). Take a walk outside, breathe, meditate on one verse instead of a whole chapter or book. Take a moment to be grateful for all that you have. It’s exhausting to strive for perfection.

Let’s try to be still and know that only God is perfect and there is freedom in the fact that he doesn’t expect you to be.

Inspiration: @enneagramandcoffee. @thatenneagramlyfe. @brushandbarley

My fellow Helpers! This one is for you! “Twos are a feeling-based type with a focus on relationship. They excel at making connections and empathizing with the needs and feelings of other people. They are usually good at supporting others and helping bring out their potential. However, turning their attention toward themselves and knowing what they themselves need is much more difficult.” So your mornings this month let’s try some knew things.

1. Add yourself to your prayer list: ask God to reveal to you what you need to work on. What hidden thing in your heart needs surrender? Ask God to open your eyes to your needs, you may be surprised at the answer.

2. Prep the night before and get up before your family. It’s easy to get distracted by the needs of others in the morning. Especially when everyone needs help finding a sock, lunchbox, or their keys. Try to set yourself up for some Me and God time without being needed.

3 Use something sweet to smell. If you time yourself, you force yourself to use your morning time to set up YOUR day, not everyone else’s. It makes it seem manageable. And the aroma helps you to relax and focus.

5 We helpers can’t help it. Try to share what you are learning with a group that you aren’t leading. Allow someone else to pour into your life and your mornings.

So, today, let’s be anxious for nothing. Know that his love is free. Let him tell you what you need.

The Achiever, also called Three, is a personality type focused on accomplishments and success. Their identities are attached to their achievements. They achieve in order to receive external validation, which feeds their need to feel worthy.”

Achievers, because you are goal oriented, it is important that you start your day on a positive and productive note, so that the rest of your day can follow suit.

Put your phone on do not disturb for the first 30 mins. Emails, messages and the comparison trap on social media, can put you in competition mode really quickly. Give your morning a fighting chance by focusing on positivity and the holy attributes of God. It is there, and not your accolades, that you will find worth and peace.
Checklists are your chocolate. Use bible studies and apps that track your progress so you see how far you’ve come and how much you have accomplished. Have an accountability partner that can add some healthy competition and encouragement to your Bible study.
Take a walk and listen to encouraging podcasts. You are releasing endorphins and filling your cup. Multitasking is an achievers dream right?! (You can check my “podcast” highlight for some of my follower’s favorites)
Keep a dated prayer journal. When you feel discouraged or without worth. You can go back in your prayer journal, see all the answers to prayer God has granted. You are not alone, he listens. You can also see how much you’ve grown.
Keep affirmation posts on all your morning spots. Bible verses, quotes, value words. Fill your mind and heart with love and grace while you brush your teeth, make your coffee, walk out the door.

Dear achiever, you work hard. Am I so proud of you. There are so many positive things about hard work and ambition. You are a good boss, employee, mom, friend, volunteer, wife. But if you tie WHO you are to WHAT you do, you miss out on WHY are you are here. As much as you try to work out your goals, heart, mind, life, it is God that will do the ultimate work in you. He will transform you with love, change you with his power. Trust him. Let go of the reins and trust him to DO in and through you.

Fours are self-aware, sensitive, and reserved. They are emotionally honest, creative, and personal, but can also be moody and self-conscious. They are inspired and highly creative.

When it’s time for a Bible study, try an illustrative prayer journal and your favorite pens/ pencils. As a creator, God created us in his image as little creators, so it is beautiful to draw near to him while creating something beautiful. To add a sentimental twist, use a Bible that was once a dear friend’s or family member’s.

Have a “me and God” creative space. A space near windows and things that inspire you. Have a vision board of things that give you life and excite you.

Take care of your body. What we eat and how we move affects our hormones and emotions. 4s are very aware of their emotions, so it’s important to take care of them with a healthy breakfast and some light exercise.
4s are great at being in the moment, but sometimes that moment can get away from you. So take a minute in the morning to time block the rest of your day. Give yourself time to get things done, AND enjoy the world around you.

Sometimes emotions can get the best of us. In a book called “Every Breath we Take” By Terry Wardle, he suggests that, when overwhelmed, stand with your feet on the floor (grass is best), hold out your hands, and breathe in saying “Holy Spirit” and breathe out saying, “Jesus thank you.” In the moments of “too much” when you are drowning in “you” it’s good to focus on breathing in the the powerful peace of the Holy Spirit, and then focus on what you are grateful for, the biggest being Jesus himself. Ask him to search you and know you
4s, You are some of my favorite.

The world needs your imagination, talent, and heart. You are the the ones that see the beauty in all creation and in people. You understand how important rest is and how to cherish all the little things. You are unique and beautiful and wonderful. I hope that some of these morning habits help you to harness your creativity and emotions and use them to glorify the one who created beauty and love, but also created the unique one and only you.

Fives are alert, insightful, and curious. Independent, innovative, and inventive, they can also become preoccupied with their thoughts and imaginary constructs. They become detached, yet high-strung and intense. At their Best: visionary pioneers, often ahead of their time, and able to see the world in an entirely new way.

Fives are great morning people at home, but they may have a hard time starting the day with others. Fives value their alone time. So take a moment to prepare yourself to be around others. Do a dance work out or yoga, maybe an excersize that you find a little out of your comfort zone. Sing in the shower, worship out loud. This will give you confidence and energy for the day. Make a point to start something new you’ve been meaning to try.

Investigators are great thinkers, so you would love a detailed study Bible and apologetics study (like the Case for Christ). But don’t forget that God not only wants you to know about him, but to know him intimately. He wants a relationship with you. So, set a timer, and try to pray in the form of a letter to God. Don’t forget to tell him how you feel about things. Fives tend to be more introspective so it will help to get your feelings OUT. You could also take a moment to send a kind text to a friend. You make your day better by making their day better.

Making your bed has been proven to increase productivity, lower stress, and that one action of organization tends to spread to other areas of your life. So start simple but strong.

Fives we need your wisdom and your incite. You see the world in new ways, and we need you to build and create new things that will make today even better. Thank you. Thank you for seeing needs and creating new solutions. We respect your space, but don’t stay away too long, we love you, and God loves you. Know that if you ever feel lost or your understanding is shaken, he will make your paths straight.

Sixes are committed, security-oriented type. They are reliable, hard-working, responsible, and trustworthy. they foresee problems and foster cooperation, but can also become anxious. They can be cautious and defensive. They are internally stable and self-reliant, courageously championing themselves and others.

Loyalists you are our first defense. For all you marvel fans: Loyalists are our Dr. Strange. They have looked into the future and predicted how everything could and would go wrong, and the figured out how to protect the ones they love, even at the risk of themselves.

Since loyalist are security-minded, create a safe and orderly morning by having everything you need to leave in the morning by the door, set out your clothes the night before, turn on your lights in the morning to make it bright and cheery.

Anxiety is in the future. Take a moment to be in the now. Connect to your five senses. Bake some cinnamon rolls and snuggle in for a little reading and worship music or podcast. While true crime podcasts and the news are great, you may want to start with something more positive to set your day up on the right foot and not already thinking about all the evil in the world.
Inspired: @enneagramandcoffee

Caffeine can hype you up and even give someone prone to anxiety the jitters. This week try a healthy smoothie or tea to start your day.

Have a morning Bible study, or prayer walking group of people you trust, people who love you.

Sixes, You know how to use fear as a healthy weapon to create safe places for the ones you love, but this week, let’s not give fear too much weight in our mornings. Take a moment to list all the things that you are worried about this week. Put them in a envelope and write “God” on the front. Those worries aren’t yours anymore, you have given them to the only person who has control over them, and now you are free to focus on what you are grateful for. Pray out loud. It gives a weight and light to your words. Thank God for having your back and loving you and giving you a peace that goes beyond our understandings. He has the whole world in his hands, and that includes you.

Sevens are extroverted, optimistic, versatile, and spontaneous. Playful, high-spirited, and practical, they can also misapply their many talents, becoming over-extended, scattered, and undisciplined. They constantly seek new and exciting experiences, but can become distracted and exhausted by staying on the go.

Hey sevens!!! So glad you are here! You are the sugar on top. You are life of our mornings. You are the one with the donuts and coffee at work. You are the one RSVP we have been excitedly waiting for, even though you will be the last to do so

Sevens are our enthusiasts; they are on the look out for new experiences so routines are hard. Feel free to switch up your routine daily or weekly, put it on a sticky note on your mirror to remember.

Since 7s love new things, try a new gym full of new people to get to know, a new book about things you don’t know. Try coffee and breakfast food from around the world or a exciting new outfit combination.

Since a whole book study in the Bible might be to much of a commitment, try a word study. Start with grace, hope, bread, water, light. This will keep you moving through the Bible and not in one spot.

Sometimes 7s can loose focus because they have so many amazing ideas in their minds. Take a moment, put on some fun music and brain dump all those ideas on paper. It will give you mind space to focus on priorities and the day ahead.
Check your bank account, make sure it can back up your plans for the day.

Sevens you’re literally the best, and we love your positivity, but don’t forget that all your feelings are important. All the experiences that you are going through are imperative for your growth. God didn’t promise that your journey would be easy, but he did promise he would go with you. So take a moment this morning to focus on Him, trust Him, and he will give you peace and validation.

Eights are self-confident, strong, and assertive, but can also be ego-centric and domineering. At times they can struggle with their temper, but at their best, they make everyone around them better.

I live with an 8. He’s the love of my life. But sometimes in the mornings, I wanna choke him. He knows my goals, and he wants me to achieve them. So anytime I allow my alarm to go off more than once, I get a little nudge or a bright light, or a not so subtle, “rise and shine babe.”

My husband is an inspiration to me. He hasn’t been a part of anything that he hasn’t made better. I think thats what challengers do—make others better. Thank you.

So in your mornings, challenge yourself (and leave my snooze button alone). Set your alarm 5 minutes earlier than you did the day before, try a kick boxing class or other workout that physically challenges you but is also a great way to let off steam.

Take a hot shower to relax your muscles and do a tense and release exercise. Ball up your toes and tense every muscle in your body starting with your feet, all the way to the top of your head, the slowly release this tension, starting at the top, working your way down until all the tension has left out of your feet. Then get fully dressed even if you aren’t going anywhere. Have shoes that you wear in the house. It’s easier to take on the day fully ready.

8s tend to be very driven and focused. So take some time in the morning to love on your family, text a friend, enjoy a walk together. Wait to start work at work. Be present.

Use your Bible study time to research some of the great heroes in the Bible. People that faced impossible odds, and responded with strength. Learn from their actions and their mistakes. John the Baptist, Miriam, Deborah, Samson, Jael, Daniel, Shiprah, Puah. See how God used their boldness to help others be better.

Sometimes 8s tend to get frustrated or even angry when others don’t want to improve. So take some time to rest in forgiveness, pray for patience, meditate on the One who is the ultimate authority. It’s He who wins every battle, goes before you and fights for you. But he does so in all love and kindness and light.

Nines are accepting, trusting, and stable. They are usually optimistic, and supportive, but tend to go along with others to keep the peace. They want everything to be without conflict, but they can also tend to be complacent, simplifying problems and minimizing anything upsetting. They bring people together.

There is a reason why Jesus said, “blessed are the peacemakers.” In a world where the slightest word or look can create conflict, we need you. Thank you! However we need to be careful to be peaceMAKERS, striving for unity in and out of ourselves and not just peaceKEEPERS, allowing our identity to be hidden in the flow of everyone else in order to avoid conflict.

So in the morning, make a list of things you WANT to do and as well as things you NEED to do. Include mountain tasks and simple mole hills.

Start by eating the frog. This concept is by @thebriantracy. It basically states that you are more likely to get your whole list done without procrastinating if you get the top dreaded task (eating a frog) done first. Then move on to the tasks you are excited about.

9s can sometimes act like all the other types because they want everyone around them to be comfortable. So in your Bible time, study the names of God and the names he gives you. Remind yourself that he is the Prince of Peace and you are his beloved, child, and treasure.

Then take a moment to process how you feel out loud. How you feel is important, and you need to remember that God hears you. Then write down your relationships in a prayer list and cover them in the pages of your Bible. He is the one who will cover them with his love and peace. Bringing them to His feet is the best thing you can do for them and you.

9s love comfort and are also closely connected to nature. Pick up the night before, so you can wake up to clean major areas, don your favorite fuzzy socks or robe, open the widows, stretch and have your coffee outside.

You were “chosen for a purpose.” And God wants “peace and grace” for you in full measure!

Morning Habits for Every Enneagram Type