What Is Calling You? | January Enneagram Reflection

As we move into 2026 we have an opportunity to take stock a little.To pause and reflect. And no, I don’t mean New Years’ resolutions. Very few people keep those (8%, apparently!). New Year is a good time to reflect back and to look forward to what is calling us as we step into the future.

I wonder what you have been noticing over your Christmas break about what still holds you captive, where your type patterns show up and what really presses your buttons?

And what your heart longs for – how do you treat / talk to / judge yourself, often so differently to how you treat others?

Wherever you are on your Enneagram journey, life will be bringing your attention to certain things that you can be working with - gently and compassionately.

The Inner Observer

That’s where our inner observer comes in.

Can you find a bit of distance from what it is that life is throwing at (or giving to) you? Can you take a step back to see what is really going on?

• What are the thoughts that are keeping you captive here?

• Which connections are draining your energy?

• What are you rushing into without thought for where it will take you?

• What or who energises and fulfils you?

  
  

As always, our Centres of Intelligence give us clues as to where to look.

When we seek to move towards the new, there is always an ending – a letting go of something that has gone before.

It is hard to make space for the new when the old ways being still hold sway. Of course, it’s a gradual process, and takes time, but it starts with a decision.

A wise person once described it to me as putting down a bouncy ball.

While we keep bouncing the ball, it will continue to bounce right back up into our hand. If we choose to let it go, the bouncing will get less and it will eventually roll away.

We can always choose to pick it back up again and go on bouncing.And we can always choose to let go when we notice we have picked it up.

No judgement for picking it up again.

No judgement for bouncing the ball again.

Just noticing and choosing.

Sounds simple doesn’t it?

As many things, of course, it’s not easy.

What ball do you need to let go of in 2026?

What is calling you this January?

So to looking forward into the new year.

As we put down the old, there arises the possibility of the new. New things which are waiting in the wings of your life (as William Bridges puts it in his book, Transitions).

• What do you want to make space for?

• What new ways of seeing things do you want to create?

• And what do you want to give yourself to?

  
  

Sometimes it is not about goals, but just an openness - a receptiveness to what comes your way.

Being aware of your patterns which can lead you towards procrastination; vagueness; driven-ness; or dwelling too much in one of the three centres to the detriment of the others.

Can you gently nudge yourself in a different direction to that which you would normally take?

Waiting instead of acting (or acting instead of thinking!).

Engaging instead of withdrawing (or withdrawing instead of ploughing in!).

Walking the journey with others

As always in the Narrative Enneagram, we encourage community along with listening to your own inner voice.

Who can help you on this journey this January and beyond?

Who can you share your hopes and dreams for the coming year with?

Gentle accountability can help us move forward baby step by baby step into what the year holds for us. We are each responsible for our own personal growth and yet there is something very special about being witnessed as we tread lightly along our own path.

You may find our blog on Personal development with the Enneagram, helpful in this context.

A blessing for the year ahead

As we journey into 2026, here are a few words from John O’Donohue, from his poem For a New Beginning:

Awaken your spirit to adventure;

Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;

Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,

For your soul senses the world that awaits you.

Continue Your Enneagram Journey with Us in 2026

If this reflection has stirred something in you - curiosity about your patterns, a desire for deeper presence, or simply a sense that there is more to discover - we would love to welcome you into our learning community.

At Enneagram Training UK & Ireland, we teach through the Narrative Tradition, using story, presence, and lived experience to help you see your patterns with clarity and compassion.

Our Foundation and Professional pathways offer space to explore who you are, how you relate, and what supports your growth. As we move into a new year, there are many opportunities to continue your Enneagram journey. You can explore what’s coming up - and find the right next step for you - on our events page.