Acceptance, Courage, and Wisdom

Most of us know the serenity prayer:

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Whomever you pray those words to–as in ANY divinity or your own inner being–they are powerful words. As with any spiritual endeavor, it is a trinity.  Each different, each important, but also working together to create a grounded wholeness.

I’ve heard the Serenity Prayer a hundred times, but recently, something clicked differently—maybe because I’ve been neck-deep in Enneagram study and self-reflection (hello, Enneagram 7 life). Suddenly, I saw this simple meditation as a map of inner growth through the lens of the Enneagram. It helped me to really quiet the constant THINK-THINK-THINK of my mind and chart a path out of my winter malaise.

For those of us who know our type, we can also access the pathways of movement within us—our lines of stress and strength. As a 7, I move to 1 (the perfectionist) in stress and 5 (the investigator) in growth. And that movement? It is the Serenity Prayer.

Acceptance and the Stress Point (1 for 7s):

When I’m spiraling in stress, I go to 1: rigid, perfectionistic, critical—often of myself. I used to think this was just the “bad” version of me showing up. But now I see it differently. That stressed-out 1 energy isn’t here to ruin me—it’s trying to teach me something. That what I’m facing might be out of my control. That no amount of planning or positivity or re-framing will fix it. That acceptance is the only way forward. For a 7, whose default is to escape discomfort, this lesson is brutal—but also beautiful. The 1 helps me stop. Face the facts. Feel the feelings. Accept what is.

Courage and the Core (7):

Here’s where I have agency—my core self. The 7 energy, when healthy, is full of joy, hope, possibility, and resilience. This is where courage lives. The courage to stay with hard emotions. To ask hard questions. To try again. To move forward, even if the road ahead doesn’t sparkle. The 7 knows how to generate momentum—but when we’re doing it from a grounded place rather than escapism, it becomes a force for real change.

Wisdom and the Growth Point (5 for 7s):

Ah, wisdom. The quiet, internal knowing that doesn’t come from hustle or hype. For a 7, wisdom lives in the stillness of 5. In slowing down. Observing. Thinking things through. Knowing enough is enough. The 5 helps me discern where to put my energy, what really matters, and what’s just noise. It gives me the ability to say: this I can change, and this I cannot. And it helps me do so without panic, without overcommitting, without needing to keep all the plates spinning.

The Prayer as your Enneagram Compass

The big A-HA moment for me was recognizing that the prayer is more than just words to recite in hard moments.  Using it with our knowledge of our enneagram is a blueprint for integrating the gifts of our type, our stress number, and our growth number?

For me as a 7:

• Serenity (Acceptance) = Type 1

• Courage = Type 7

• Wisdom = Type 5

For another type, those positions may flip. A Type 1, for example, might find courage in their growth to 7 and wisdom in the stillness of 4. A Type 3 may find serenity in their stress point of 9, and wisdom in their growth to 6.

The beauty of this? It gives us grace. None of our stress responses are mistakes—they’re messengers. Our growth points aren’t destinations—they’re companions. And the Enneagram, when paired with something like the Serenity Prayer, becomes not just a tool for personality typing—but a spiritual compass.

What’s Next??

Even when we don’t practice formal religion, we have all found ourselves stuck in overthinking, spinning in stress, or second-guessing every decision.  I don’t know anyone who doesn’t look skyward in challenging times, seeking divine intervention.  Learning your Enneagram type can offer the clarity you didn’t know you were missing, and reveal SOLUTIONS and INSPIRATION.  Your stress reactions, strengths, and inner wisdom aren’t random—they follow a pattern. And once you understand that pattern, you can make better decisions, break old habits, and navigate challenges with more confidence. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start growing, claim your spot for a 1:1 Enneagram typing session with me.

Next week, I’ll dive deeper into how each type can struggle with acceptance, action, or discernment—and how knowing your type helps you find more balance when it matters most.