Let go of the situation and the anger because I know I can only control myself and my emotions, no one else’s.Reframing the shadow part to a positive emotion, belief, or reaction instead.Ĭontinuing with my example, I now know that my anger stemmed from my need for control.Recognizing the root of the problem to be aware of any time it presents itself again.Letting go of the negative belief, emotion, action, etc.When doing shadow work, you want to come to one (or all) of these conclusions: Now that you’ve found the why, figure out how to change it. (Do you see where I’m getting at?) Finally, I recognize that I’m angry because I wasn’t in control of the situation.īingo, there’s the answer. I’m angry because they weren’t considering me. I’m angry because they probably weren’t paying attention and could’ve put me at risk. If it was an accident, only lasted a moment, and everyone involved is safe, what is staying angry doing for me? It’s definitely not making me feel any better or will change the situation (because it’s now in the past). Recognizing that I’ve become angry, I ask myself, why? I know it was most likely an accident that the person cut me off. Reflect on the situation and ask yourself why. The moment only lasted a second, I’m perfectly safe, and it most likely was an accident on their part, but for some reason it sends me into a spiral of frustration and anger. ![]() ![]() Start to take note of every time you feel, think, act, or react in a negative way.įor example, I may find that I become unnecessarily angry at a minor inconvenience, such as someone cutting me off while driving. You can’t change what you don’t know needs changing. Next, become more aware of your emotions, thoughts, beliefs and actions.Īwareness is key. Again, I don’t want to scare you or make shadow work seem undesirable, because the changes it brings about will be catalysts for your personal development. ![]() If you’re reading this blog post, there’s probably a part of you that knows you’re ready. How To Do Shadow Work The first step to shadow work is asking yourself if you’re ready for it.Īre you ready to change your life for the better? Are you willing to possibly get uncomfortable if it means bringing in positive changes? Are you prepared to confront the shadow parts of yourself? Shadow work allows you to break yourself out of the cycle of negativity and create a new cycle of peace, positivity, and happiness. So, if you are holding onto undesirable beliefs (“I’m not good enough” “I can’t do this” “I’m unlovable” etc.), you are going to continue to attract situations that match them. Your thoughts and emotions manifest your experiences in life. But again, by dealing with them head-on, finding the root of the problem, and (with that awareness) finding the solution, you give yourself the opportunity to let go and replace these negative beliefs, habits, and emotions with positive ones. Why do you keep doing that bad habit even though you know it’s not serving you? Why do you overreact to minor situations/have such a short temper? Why does that one thing your friend does really annoy you? Why do you constantly find yourself jealous of others? Instead of ignoring or perpetuating your negative beliefs and emotions, step back and ask yourself why they are occurring. When these things show up in your life, it’s important to recognize them to then discover how to heal and move on from them. Shadow work is about exploring the darker parts of ourselves, think: negative beliefs, unhealthy habits, unfavorable emotions such as jealousy, bitterness, shame, guilt, anger, irritation, etc. Related post // Journaling 101: How and Why to Start What exactly are you “working” on? However, simply meditating or talking through the situations are also effective methods. ![]() Shadow work is typically done through journaling. However, I want you to remember that change occurs on the other side of your comfort zone, and that doing the work now will reap positive rewards later.Īlso, you’ve probably done shadow work before! If you’ve ever reflected on a negative situation, feeling, or thought to understand the reasoning behind it and how to change it for the better, that is technically shadow work – good job! (Believe me, I’m not jumping for joy every time I do shadow work.) However…we are human! We have flaws and make mistakes! Repressing these experiences without ever attempting to work through and accept them limits your ability to become a better version of yourself.ĭepending on how big your problems are or how deep you’ve buried them, this practice can get uncomfortable, emotional, and even a bit scary. No person wants to admit that they have flaws or unfavorable characteristics society is constantly telling us that we have to be “perfect” in order to be accepted.
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