Songs for The Enthusiast

This week is the Type 7's time to shine in our Enneagram Series. The usual disclaimer: educating myself about the enneagram and reading about my personality type has genuinely helped me be more conscious about making healthier choices as well as paying closer attention to how I interact with other people based off their type as well if I happen to know it. The enneagram is not how I dictate every single moment of my life, but it is a handy and interesting tool to use.

Enneagram Sevens are usually referred to as Enthusiasts or Adventurers. Some key personality traits that they share include being busy, variety-seeking, spontaneous, versatile, acquisitive, and scattered. A Seven's basic fear is that of being either deprived of comfort or in pain, and their basic desire is that of being satisfied and content with all of their needs met. A happy, healthy Seven can be seen as joyous and focused on achieving their personal goals, while a miserable, unhealthy Seven can be claustrophobic and completely drained of both their energy and their health. They're motivated by discharging pain because pain is not a fun activity and maintaining their freedom to keep living life as they see fit. While they can be very versatile and extroverted, Sevens can occasionally become distracted and exhausted from being constantly on the go which, according to the Enneagram Institute, can cause issues with impatience and reckless impulsiveness. A Seven with a Six wing, or 7w6, is usually referred to as an Entertainer or a Pathfinder and maintains the core feelings of a Seven while leaning on Six traits like being trustworthy and working hard to honor their commitments to others. A Seven with an Eight wing, or 7w8, is usually referred to as a Realist or an Opportunist and maintains that core Sevenness while leaning on Eight traits like avoiding being (or feeling) controlled by an outside source. A healthy Seven can exhibit traits of a Type Five due to their Growth Path causing them to act more focused and enamored with their life, while a super stressed Seven can exhibit traits of a Type One due to their Stress Path causing them to act more critical and perfectionistic.

Here are some more pop culture examples of Type Seven that I've "typed" over the last year. DISCLAIMER #2: I obviously don't own/didn't create any of these characters and secondly, it's again impossible to truly type another person, especially when they aren't real, but this its a lot of fun and I've enjoyed doing it. These are just my personal opinion, so please don't @ me.

-Andy Dwyer from Parks & Recreation

-Ariel (7w8) from The Little Mermaid

-Creed Bratton, Kelly Kapoor, Kevin Malone, & Meredith Palmer from The Office

-Sheriff Donna Hanscum (7w6) & Rowena MacLeod (7w8) from Supernatural

-Ekko from Arcane: League of Legends

-Fred & George Weasley (7w6) & Sirius Black (7w8) from Harry Potter

-Glenn & Squirrely Dan from Letterkenny

-Greg Universe & Pink Diamond from Steven Universe

-Howard Wolowitz from The Big Bang Theory

-Hyacinth Bridgerton & Michael Stirling from Bridgerton

-Jannah, Jar Jar Binks, Lando Calrissian, & R2-D2 from Star Wars

-Jaskier Pankratz (7w8) & Lambert (7w6) from The Witcher

-Joey Tribbiani from Friends

-Karen Smith from Mean Girls

-Mac McDonald from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

-Morrigan from A Court of Thorns & Roses

-Reginald Hargreeves/Dad/The Monocole from The Umbrella Academy

-Sartaq (7w8) from Throne of Glass

-Ted Mullens from Schitt's Creek

-Ty Lee from Avatar: The Last Airbender

The following is a small sample of my Enthusiastt playlist - as always, the full playlist can be found by following me on Apple Music @audioaesthetics. Let's get to it!

Million Years Ago by Adele (written by A. Adkins, G. Kurstin)

Featured on Adele's 2015 album 25, these lyrics show key Seven traits such as business, variety-seeking, and spontaneity. You could say this song is a Seven who's finding themself in an unhealthy part of their life, trying to find their way back to the joy they felt in the past.

I only wanted to have fun/Learning to fly, learning to run/I let my heart decide the way/When I was young/Deep down, I must have always known/That this would be inevitable/To earn my stripes, I'd have to pay/And bare my soul/I know I'm not the only one/Who regrets the things they've done/Sometimes I just feel it's only me/Who can't stand the reflection that they see/I wish I could live a little more/Look up to the sky, not just the floor/I feel like my life is flashing by/And all I can do is watch and cry/I miss the air, I miss my friends/I miss my mother, I miss it when/Life was a party to be thrown/But that was a million years ago

&burn by Billie Eilish ft. Vince Staples (written by F. O'Connell, V. Staples)

Featured on Eilish's 2017 EP dont smile at me, these lyrics show off a bit of that spontaneity and reckless impulsiveness, in this case due to heartbreak. The narrator doesn't enjoy the pain they're currently feeling and to try and lessen it seeks to hurt the subject in a way they deem to be similar.

Lips meet teeth and tongue/My heart skips eight beats at once, that's better/If we were meant to be, we would have been by now/See what you wanna see, all I see is him right now/Him right now/I’ll sit and watch your car burn/With the fire that you started in me/But you never came back to ask it out/Go ahead and watch my heart burn/With the fire that you started in me/But I'll never let you back to put it out/Thanks

Part of Your World by Jodi Benson (written by H. Ashman)

While I've stated in the past that Ariel is my least favorite Princess, I think she's a great example of a Type 7. She's always keeping herself busy seeking the next adventure, she's versatile, she's a bit scatter-brained, and her ideal life is living up on the land with all of the things that make her happy: her human collectibles and her Prince. While her movie definitely shows her as recklessly impulsive, she is loving and full of joy and curiosity, as shown in the pinnacle song Part of Your World (performed by the iconic Jodi Benson).

Look at this stuff, isn’t it neat/Wouldn’t you think my collection’s complete/Wouldn’t you think I’m the girl/The girl who has everything/Look at this trove, treasures untold/How many wonders can one cupboard hold/Looking around here, you’d think, sure/She’s got everything/I’ve got gadgets and gizmos aplenty/I’ve got whozits and whatzits galore/You want thingamabobs, I’ve got twenty/But who cares, no big deal, I want more

Inseperable by Jonas Brothers (written by N. Jonas, J. Jonas, K. Jonas, J. Miller)

Featured on the JoBros' 2007 self-titled album, these lyrics show us that thrill seeking, live in the momentness that Sevens are so well known for. The narrator's whole focus is achieving this dream of doing only what they and the subject of their affections want to do, and doing it together.

Take my hand tonight/We can run so far/We can change the world/Do anything you want/We can stop for hours/Just staring at the stars/They shine down to show us/You know when the sun forgets to shine/I’ll be there to hold you through the night/And we'll be running so fast we can fly tonight/And even when we're miles and miles apart/You're still holding all of my heart/I promise it will never be dark/I know we're inseparable

Happy & Sad by Kacey Musgraves (written by K. Musgraves, I. Fitchuk)

Featured on Musgraves's 2018 album Golden Hour, these lyrics show how Sevens can also at times deal with a bit of sensory overload when they become overwhelmed. Every Enneagram Type deals with juggling feelings of happiness and sadness simultaneously in different ways, but for Sevens who long to experience being happy and only happy, it can be really confusing for them to deal with.

It's not you/It's the glow of the party, the way that you've got me/Lit up inside/It's the song that they're playin’, the words that you're sayin’/It's never felt so right/And I'm the kind of person who starts getting kinda nervous/When I'm having the time of my life/Is there a word for the way that I'm feeling tonight/Happy and sad at the same time/You got me smiling with tears in my eyes/I never felt so high/No, I've never been this far off of the ground/And they say everything that goes up must come down/But I don't wanna come down

I Had a Dream by Kelly Clarkson (written by G. Kurstin, K. Clarkson)

Featured on Clarkson's 2015 album Piece by Piece, I think these lyrics do a good job showing both sides of the Seven coin. There are healthy ways to achieve your dreams and your goals, and there are also ways you can take that turn you into the kind of person you never wanted to be - the choice is yours on which path you take.

If you wanna lead, be a leader/If you wanna dream, be a dreamer/Climb to the top of that mountain and scream it/But remember when you get to the top/Everything you say is gonna matter/Everything you do is gonna add up/It's what you asked for/So don't get mad when it's not what you thought/Careful now, girl, with them Jezebel ways/Crown on your head, but you're queen of clichés/Little one playing with the big boys now/Hope you're ready when it comes back around/I had a dream that we were more/A generation to behold/Lighting fires with our words/Instead of useless smoke that blurs/The lines of right and wrong/Expression that lives on/An army with a song/That lingers when we're gone/I had a dream

Holy by North Point Worship ft. Seth Condrey (written by K. Lee, S. Condrey, P. LaRue, H. Balltzglier)

Featured on North Point's 2017 Live EP Nothing Ordinary, Pt. 1 with vocals from worship leader Seth Condrey, this song is a great example of one of the more obvious Fruit of the Spirit pairings (thanks again to @mirabellecreations on Instagram for inspiring me with your graphic). Enthusiasts and Joy just make sense. Joy is their ultimate goal, and the ultimate provider of true Joy is God.

The earth cannot contain its joy/So mountains were born, mountains were born/The sea cannot contain its praise/The mighty waves roar, the mighty waves roar/All of creation/Singing the same song/One hallelujah/To You and You alone/Holy, holy/To the One who scattered the stars/Holy, holy/To the One who holds every heart/All of our praise, all for Your name/With creation we sing along/Holy, holy

Zephaniah 3:17 NLT For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

good 4 u by Olivia Rodrigo (written by D. Nigro, O. Rodrigo)

Featured on Rodrigo's 2021 album SOUR, these lyrics show a hurt Seven lashing out similarly to &burn from earlier. There could also be a sense of a Six Wing in here with the themes of being betrayed by a romantic partner and losing that sense of belonging and security.

Well, good for you, I guess you moved on really easily/You found a new girl, and it only took a couple weeks/Remember when you said that you wanted to give me the world/And good for you, I guess that you've been working on yourself/I guess that therapist I found for you, she really helped/Now you can be a better man for your brand-new girl/Well, good for you, you look happy and healthy/Not me, if you ever cared to ask/Good for you, you're doing great out there without me, baby/God, I wish that I could do that/I’ve lost my mind, I've spent the night/Crying on the floor of my bathroom/But you're so unaffected, I really don't get it/But I guess good for you

Seven by Sleeping At Last (written by R. O'Neal)

Featured on his 2019 EP Atlas: Enneagram, this is Ryan O'Neal's interpretation of what it's like to live in the head of a Seven, and like the rest of the EP it appears to be pretty spot on. From daydreaming about experiencing everything life has to offer to the never-ending feeling of restlessness, he got this one pretty down pat.

How nice it’d be if we could try everything/I’m serious, let’s make a list and just begin/What about danger, so what, what about risk/Let’s climb this mountain before we cross that bridge/‘Cause I’m restless/I’m restless/I’m restless/For whatever comes next

Toss a Coin to Your Witcher by Sonya Belousova, Giona Ostinelli & Joey Batey (written by G. Ostinelli, S. Belousova)

Jaskier, also known as Dandelion (iykyk) and portrayed masterfully by Joey Batey, has become one of my absolute favorite characters in the entire Witcher show, and I think he's a perfect example of a Seven. Jaskier absolutely lives on comfort and adventure, even though those two things very rarely come together at the same time for him. When he's happy, he's absolutely brimming with joy and extroverted ness, and when he's been hurt (cough cough Season 2) he's an absolute savage. Naturally, I chose his iconic Season 1 song that launched a thousand memes: Toss a Coin to Your Witcher (you're welcome, now it'll be stuck in your head all week).

When a humble bard graced a ride along/With Geralt of Rivia, along came this song/From when the White Wolf fought a silver-tongued devil/His army of elves at his hooves did they revel/They came after me with masterful deceit/Broke down my lute and they kicked in my teeth/While the devil’s horns minced our tender meat/And so cried the Witcher, “He can’t be bleat”/Toss a coin to your Witcher/Oh, Valley of Plenty/Oh, Valley of Plenty, oh/Toss a coin to your Witcher/Oh, Valley of Plenty

London Boy by Taylor Swift (written by J. Antonoff, J. Karpeh, M. Spears, T. Swift)

Featured on Swift's 2019 album Lover, this song is all about enjoying the things you love. Inspired by Swift's relationship with long-time boyfriend Joe Alwyn, she talks about how while her heart is divided between America and England, she's not super bothered by it because if he's where she is, she's happy.

I love my hometown as much as Motown, I love SoCal/And you know I love Springsteen, faded blue jeans, Tennessee whiskey/But something happened, I heard him laughing/I saw the dimples first and then I heard the accent/They say home is where the heart is/But that's not where mine lives/You know I love a London boy/I enjoy walking Camden Market in the afternoon/He likes my American smile/Like a child when our eyes meet, darling, I fancy you/Took me back to Highgate, met all of his best mates/So I guess all the rumors are true/You know I love a London boy/Boy, I fancy you

Comet by Tom Scharpling (written by A. Tran, N. Demayo, S. Velema)

Greg, Steven Universe's resident "cool" (?) dad, is another great example of a Seven. Greg's entire motivation is to do whatever makes him happy at the time, whether that meant dropping out of school to live in a van and be a rockstar or falling in love with a woman who was clearly an alien and having a baby with her. The thing that brings Greg the most joy, however, is his son Steven, and the fact that that is never once in doubt throughout the entire show is a really, really beautiful thing. My favorite Greg song in the show is Comet, which is featured in S1E48 Story for Steven.

Some say I have no direction/That I’m a light speed distraction, but that’s a knee jerk reaction/Still, this is the final frontier/Everything is so clear, to my destiny, I steer/This life in the stars is all I’ve ever known/Stars and stardust in infinite space is my only home/But the moment that I hit the stage, thousands of voices are calling my name/And I know in my heart it’s been worth it all of the while/And as my albums fly off of the shelves, handing out autographed pics of myself/This life I chose isn’t easy but sure is one heck of a ride

I hope you found some great new music in this post whether you know your Enneagram type or not, or even if you don't do the whole Enneagram thing which is 100% ok. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!