A gift and challenge of the Two

Twos are sensitive to the needs of others, going out of their way to be helpful - hence the name given to them by Riso/Hudson as 'The Helper'. They are very tuned-in to the feelings of others so empathic and can be a great emotional as well as practical support. For Twos, helping others is their raison d'être. They are the sort of people who, if necessary, will give the last shirt off their back to help someone in need. This is a wonderful gift and so not surprisingly people often seek out them out when they are in need of help in some way or need someone to look after them. However their selflessness is also their challenge. Firstly, they can be taken advantage of and find themselves running around exhausted by the emotional and physical toll of taking care of others. They can often subconsciously put themselves in the position of the rescuer and feel as though it is their duty to save people. Secondly, their focus on those around them means that they can often forego their own needs and then end up resentful because of it. Twos benefit from setting healthy boundaries and understanding that neglecting their own needs depletes their energy and leads to its own problems. They need to learn that they can't look after others effectively if they are unable to take care of their own needs properly. That this doesn't make them selfish but is merely a fact of life. We need to respect our own needs too or we will find ourselves completely fraught and spent with nothing left to give - at which point we may be the ones needing help.