Navigating your shadow

Ever made a list of your shadow selves and given them each a name? You know the parts of you that you keep hidden or feel ashamed of? They might even be the things other people see but YOU don’t as they hide in your blind spot?

We ALL have them and the more we can acknowledge them, accept them, and even laugh at them, the easier they will be to integrate… and we NEED to integrate them if we wish to become whole

A while ago I created a process for this… I gave them each a name. I connected into them to identify each one’s unique message or purpose for being part of me. The advantage of making this list and identifying what they want from you is that they are really easy to spot when they show up. And it is far easier to choose your response when they do rather than reacting automatically.

E.g., I have the Inner captain who loves to tell me to “get moving” … That “time is running out and I need to get on to things before it’s too late. That if I don’t move quickly there won’t be anything left”. Since doing this work, he has shown up far less but some of the others are still hanging around… and they will until I merge with them and learn to choose new responses

You can do this too:

1. Have a think of all of your not so wonderful selves. The ones you like to hide or the ones those closest to you complain of

2. Think about how they play out when you aren’t conscious of their presence

3. What is their message, attitude, stance on life?

4. Give them a name

5. Next time they show up, YOU decide if they stay or go. Try saying hello and choosing a new response

Already done this?

✨Who is your shadow team?

✨Which one has been showing up the most lately?

✨What are they helping you heal?

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