Courageous Conversations: The Inner Work that Builds Confidence

In this episode of Typology, host Ian Cronk explores the inner emotional work required to build true confidence through a conversation with Alicia Michelle, an Enneagram One and author of 'Emotional Confidence.' The discussion centers on how self-awareness, emotional regulation, and inner dialogue shape our ability to navigate difficult conversations and relationships. Alicia shares her personal journey of realizing she was not a Type Three, as she had long believed, but a Type One—revealing how her perfectionism, fear of failure, and internalized shame were rooted in a deep need for control and moral correctness. She introduces her 'ADD Method'—Acknowledge, Discern, Decide—as a practical framework for emotional governance, emphasizing compassion, truth-seeking, and intentional decision-making. The conversation also touches on the importance of emotional literacy, the role of the nervous system in emotional regulation, and how different Enneagram types process emotions differently. A key theme is the shift from being a 'cop' to a 'coach' and then a 'consultant' in parenting, reflecting the growth from control to trust. The episode concludes with a powerful message of grace: that we are not responsible for others’ perfection, and that being 'right on time' in our own journey is enough.