Ditch the Sunday Scaries & Plan Your Most Aligned Year Using Your Enneagram Type
Ali Dunn
Leadership Coach, Enneagram Facilitator, Writer
listen or watch on:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
If you start feeling the Sunday Scaries before the weekend is even over, you’re not alone.
For many midlife women, that creeping dread is a sign that something in life or work is out of alignment. Maybe it’s your job. Maybe it’s how much you’re carrying at home. Maybe it’s the pressure to set goals that look good on paper but don’t actually fit who you are anymore.
In this episode of the Midlife Advice podcast, I sit down with leadership coach and Enneagram expert Ali Dunn to talk about a different way of planning the year ahead—one rooted in self-awareness, motivation, and alignment, not hustle or “shoulds.”
Why the Enneagram Hits Different in Midlife
The Enneagram isn’t about labeling your personality or boxing yourself into a type. It’s about understanding what motivates you beneath the surface—why you do what you do.
And in midlife, that insight is gold.
When you understand what actually drives you, you can:
• Stop forcing goals that drain you
• Recognize when anxiety or burnout is a signal, not a flaw
• Make decisions that support your energy instead of depleting it
Ali explains that two people can have the same goal—say, a promotion or a career pivot—but their reason for wanting it (and how they pursue it) can look completely different depending on their motivation.
That’s where alignment starts.
When the Sunday Scaries Are a Clue, Not a Crisis
One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is reframing the Sunday Scaries as information.
Chronic dread, anxiety, or emotional exhaustion—especially around work—often points to misalignment:
• A role that doesn’t fit your motivation
• An environment that clashes with your nervous system
• Boundaries that aren’t being honored
And no, the solution isn’t always quitting your job or moving to Fiji (though we can all fantasize).
Sometimes alignment looks like:
• Advocating for flexibility or a different role
• Adjusting how you work, not just what you do
• Naming what you need instead of pushing through
Ali shares how understanding your Enneagram type can help you ask for what you want—without guilt or overexplaining.
Goals That Stretch You vs. Goals That Drain You
We also talk about the difference between healthy discomfort and misalignment.
Growth often feels uncomfortable. But there’s a difference between:
• Fear that comes from stretching into something meaningful
• Resistance that comes from chasing a goal that isn’t authentic
Ali offers a powerful filter:
Is this a should… or is this a want?
When you connect your goals to your motivation, you can plan a year that supports growth and sustainability.
Using Themes Instead of Pressure
Rather than rigid resolutions, Ali encourages choosing themes for the year based on your Enneagram motivation:
• Freedom
• Understanding
• Keeping the Peace
• Creativity
These themes act as anchors when life inevitably gets messy. They help you recalibrate instead of spiraling into self-criticism when plans change.
Because the goal isn’t perfection—it’s alignment.
Want Help Getting Clear?
It’s not about resolution-setting or vision boarding (no shade). It’s about asking yourself specific questions and getting really honest about the answers.
✍️Get my full list of New Year reflection questions here!
Episode Highlights:
00:00 Understanding the Enneagram
05:48 How to Use Your Enneagram Type to Plan Your Year
10:29 How to Know If Your Goal is Right for You
15:02 When Your Job is Not Aligned with Your Enneagram Type
19:56 Use the Enneagram to Improve Your Relationships
26:14 Use Your Enneagram Type to Identify a Theme for the Year
29:02 Key Takeaways
About Ali Dunn:
Ali Dunn is a leadership coach, writer, and Enneagram facilitator reshaping how ambitious women lead and thrive. A former sales executive turned certified IEQ9 Enneagram coach, Ali helps founders, executives, and creative professionals trust their intuition, own their voice, and lead with confidence, curiosity, and a little rebellion. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area and raising two teen daughters, she’s on a mission to disrupt the status quo, one honest conversation and courageous decision at a time. When she’s not elevating teams or coaching ambitious women, you’ll find her exploring new cultures and cuisines, fully embodying the adventurous spirit of an Enneagram 7.
🎧 Other Episodes You Might Enjoy:
How Knowing Your Enneagram Type Can Make Your Life Easier w/Ali Dunn
New Year Journal Prompts for Midlife Women Seeking a More Aligned Life
How I Changed the Way I Set Intentions This Year
Like what you hear?
➕ Follow Midlife Advice on Apple podcasts, Spotify or YouTube for more super smart and slightly sassy midlife conversations that blend science, intuition, and zero BS.
⭐️ Please share this episode with a friend, drop a 5-star rating and leave a review! That is the best way you can help me book more expert guests for us!
Disclaimer:
Belong Wellness and its members, managers, employees, contractors, and other agents or representatives are not licensed medical care providers and do not provide medical services or advice, including without limitation diagnosing, examining, preventing, treating, or curing any medical conditions. The information shared in this podcast is meant to be educational, not prescriptive. Please consult your medical doctor before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle. Further, the opinions of guests on this show do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Jessica or anyone affiliated with Belong Wellness.
