The Unseen Journey

How Embracing My Flaws Led to a More Holistic Approach

Things changed for me at the beginning of 2022, and I wonder if you noticed.

First, some context.

I had unofficially started writing short posts on Myspace seventeen years ago, which soon led to creating my first blog called Outside the Walls in 2007. My focus at that time was seeing theological problems and offering alternatives and solutions. Without knowing myself well at the time, my writing was a projection of my Enneagram 1 (Reformer) nature. The Enneagram Institute would say I am an advocate of change, striving to always improve things. However, they would also say that unhealthy ones may have a tendency toward being critical and perfectionistic, which can lead to resentment and impatience.

Ouch.

It was a humbling realization to discover that I could be wired to see things differently than others and have profound insights into how to make things better but to be so unhealthy in my approach that it could turn off and alienate those around me. This self-awareness sparked a significant shift in my perspective. I began to consciously apply the principles of grace and acceptance in my writing. This change wasn't just about tempering my critical nature. I could still look at the world and see a better way forward. But I could do it while embracing a more holistic, less judgmental approach to reform. I began to recognize that true change involves understanding and empathy and helping people imagine new possibilities, not just identifying what's wrong and trying to fix it.

When I started these weekly writings in 2022, the intent was to offer a glimpse of how things could be- in our lives, our relationships, our community, and in the world- without me needing to be critical or judgmental in my assessment of them. But ultimately, my writing has become a manifestation of my own transformation, how I’ve changed. And hopefully, this personal reformation is a testament to how we all are a work in progress, constantly growing, evolving, and transforming, if we are willing.

Question

1. In what ways do I reflect on my own behaviors and attitudes, and how open am I to changing them to enhance my relationships and the environments around me?

Peace,

Brandon

I joined the WHAT IF Project recently to discuss writing, the creative process, and fiction as a subversive tool that speaks to the issues of our day. Check it out!

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