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My definition: The process of looking inwards to expose and experience the parts of you that you hide from due to fear or shame to see how those parts have been living in the subconscious and affecting your life so that you can live a more aligned, confident life.

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Remember, shadow work can be deep, emotional work. Please make sure you’re in a stable, safe mental space before doing shadow work. Leave space for integrating what comes up, open lines of communication with your safe support network, and move your body in some fresh air. If you’re feeling uneasy, wait until you have the trusted support of a therapist, coach, or friend.

3 Simple Ways To Practice Shadow Work

#1 Mindfulness

You can actually start seeing your shadows by observing your conversations with others. If you’re speaking with someone and getting annoyed at what they’re doing or saying, maybe you perceive them to be selfish or hypocritical or ignorant, ask yourself “am I projecting?” or “are they reflecting something that’s true about me in a different context?”

Of course it’s not always the case, but it’s a starting point.

#2 Journal Prompts

Don’t forget to ground yourself before diving into these prompts. Remind yourself how great you are, how far you have come, and how capable you are of continuing to grow and explore the world.

  1. What are the worst traits someone can have, according to you? When did you model these traits?
  2. What makes you judgmental toward others?
  3. What memories are you ashamed of?
  4. When do you experience jealousy? With what people/things/events? Why?
  5. At what moments in your life have you been the hardest on yourself? Why?
  6. How do you define failure? How do you feel when you fail? Why?

#3 Inner Child Work

Inner Child work is exploring the child you once were with unmet needs and how that pokes through in your life today. We were all once a child that had to make sense of the world, and depending on our circumstances, it may not have been the truth. As an adult, we can explore the beliefs we formed as children, the needs that were unmet, and the experiences that shaped our self worth and baseline of safety.