The Catalyst Podcast: Episode 100: The Shadow Within: Unlocking Your Hidden Self

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All righty, let's dive into the shadowy corners of ourselves.
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Did you ever catch yourself doing something you swore you would never do,
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like promising yourself you wouldn't get sucked into that drama at work and
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then BAM, you're right in the thick of it?
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Or maybe you swore off dating emotionally unavailable people,
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only to find yourself yet again analyzing cryptic text messages at 2am.
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I mean, what's that all about?
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Welcome to the Catalyst Podcast. I'm your host, Jason, and we are live on all
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your favorite platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Threads, and TikTok.
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You can also listen to our episodes on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts,
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Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Podbean.
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Just as a catalyst triggers a powerful reaction, we hope you let our podcast
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be the spark that fuels the journey to a more fulfilling life.
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Together, we can explore new ideas and unlock your potential.
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And we want to hear from you. If you're interested in being a guest or contributing
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to the podcast, reach out to us today at catalystmotivationpodcast at gmail.com.
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That's catalystmotivationpodcast at gmail.com. Let me repeat that one more time
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because I mumbled it, screwed it up.
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Catalystmotivationpodcast at gmail.com. All right, join the community today
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and be part of something truly transformative.
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Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome to episode 100.
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Episode 100 of the Catalyst podcast, The Shadow Within, Unlocking Your Hidden Self.
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Okay, so today we're venturing into a fascinating, sometimes uncomfortable,
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but ultimately liberating territory, shadow work.
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But before we get into that, this is episode 100 of the Catalyst Podcast.
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This is a journey that's taken multiple years to even start to put together the process.
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And again, we're really bare bones here, folks. It's just me and my pod bean. Putting these out.
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But to see how it started and talk about my journey,
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you know, the journey of going and battling cancer,
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and all the ancillary things that came around it and being able to see the other
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end of it and being able to tell stories and come up with topics that I hope
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are timely and useful and helpful.
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And to know that this is the 100th episode of the Catalyst podcast,
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knowing that we're going to be doing a lot more of them.
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Just so thankful and blessed. So, so thankful. So thank you.
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All those people out there from all over the world who do tune in and listen.
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We appreciate you and we thank you so, so very much. This is such a great moment,
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And I can't wait for 150 and 200 and 300 and 500 and 1,000.
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I look forward to it, and I hope you'll join us along this journey.
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All right. With that being said, let's talk about shadow work.
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Shadow work. I mean, what the hell does that even mean, shadow work?
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Well, let's clarify it. Shadow work isn't just about fighting some evil twin.
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It's about befriending the parts of yourself that you'd rather keep locked away
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in the attic of your psyche.
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Ooh, interesting, right? Yeah.
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Think of it like this. You're a magnificent multifaceted diamond,
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but over time, your facets get covered in dust.
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The parts that you're ashamed of, the traits you were told were unacceptable,
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the emotions you learned suppressed.
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Suppressed? How about suppress? Yes, learn to suppress. It's the first day with a new mouth.
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Shadow work is simply the process of gently dusting off those neglected facets
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so you can see the full brilliance of who you are.
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Yeah, now I know, I know, I know. You're saying, why bother with this dusty business?
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Well, it's those unacknowledged parts of ourselves that just don't disappear.
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They operate in a background, often sabotaging our relationships,
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fueling our insecurities, dictating our reactions in ways we don't understand. end.
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They're like gremlins. They're like gremlins in your mental machinery,
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causing little hiccups and sometimes even full-blown system crashes.
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So consider Sarah. Sarah's a high achiever who prided herself on being calm and collective.
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Yet she'd find herself inexplicably irritated by colleagues who weren't as efficient as she was.
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Through shadow work, Sarah realized this irritation stemmed from a deeply buried
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insecurity about her own worth.
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Somewhere along the line, she internalized the message that her value was tied to her productivity.
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Seeing others slacking triggered this old wound.
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By acknowledging this hidden belief, she could start untangling it and respond
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with a more empathetic and less judgmental response.
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Sometimes there are things in our past that cause problems in our present,
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and we need to address them.
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This concept of shadowing isn't new. Carl Jung coined the term describing it
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as unconscious aspects of our personality that the conscious ego doesn't identify with.
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This can be negative traits like jealousy, anger, and greed,
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but also positive ones that we've been conditioned to suppress like our creativity,
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our assertiveness, or even our joy.
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Think about the kid who's always been told, be quiet and don't make a fuss.
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They might grow up suppressing their natural exuberance, the ability to express themselves freely.
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That vibrant part of them becomes part of their shadow, potentially leading
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to feelings of stifled creativity or difficulty asserting their needs in adulthood.
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Stoicism offers a powerful lens through which to approach shadow work.
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The Stoics emphasize self-awareness as the cornerstone of a good life.
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Seneca, for instance, urged us to examine ourselves daily by asking,
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What bad habit have I conquered today?
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What vice have I checked? What part of myself have I improved?
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This kind of rigorous self-inquiry is essential and an early form of shadow work.
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The Stoics understood that our reactions to the world often reveals more about
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our inner state than the external events themselves.
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When someone cuts you off in traffic and you erupt in a fit of rage,
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that anger just isn't about the other driver.
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It's tapping into something within you, perhaps a feeling of being disrespected,
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a lack of control, or a buildup of unresolved frustration.
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Recognizing this internal trigger is a key step in shadow work.
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How about this? Imagine your shadow as that inner critic who pipes up at the
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worst possible moments.
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You're about to give a presentation. You're feeling confident.
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And then your shadow whispers, yeah, right. You're going to bomb.
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Everybody's going to laugh at you.
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The mom from Carrie. Everybody's going to laugh at you. Ha ha.
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Ignoring the voice doesn't make it go away. Just really just festers in the
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background, undermining your confidence.
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But if you acknowledge it, maybe even give it a silly name like Sheldon the
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Saboteur, it can take away some of its power.
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You can then say, thanks for your input, Sheldon, but I've got this. All right.
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You know, push, brush it away. Get it out of there. We don't need it. Right.
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We all have our own Sheldons lurking in our mental shadows.
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And it's time we face them. One of the most common ways our shadows manifest is through projection.
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Now, this is when we attribute our unaccepted thoughts, feelings,
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or traits to others, right?
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That person who constantly criticizes everyone else might be deeply insecure
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about their own abilities.
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The colleague who's always gossiping might be suppressing their own desire for
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connection and attention.
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When we see in others what we can't acknowledge in ourselves,
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did you ever notice that?
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I mean, think about that person who really grates your nerves.
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They really piss you off. They really get on your nerves.
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I mean, what specifically bothers you about them?
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Chances are, if you dig a little deeper, you're going to find that the seed
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of that same trait is within you.
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It ain't so, but yeah, yeah, it is.
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It's not about beating yourself up, but it's about recognizing shared humanity.
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As Marcus Aurelius widely quoted, that which is not good for the swarm,
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neither is it good to be for the bee.
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Recognizing our interconnectedness, even within the parts of ourselves that
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we dislike, fosters a greater understanding and compassion, both for ourselves and others.
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Another fascinating aspect of this shadow is that Jung called the golden shadow.
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Now these, these are the positive qualities we've suppressed,
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often because we were told not to show off or be too much.
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Maybe you have a natural talent for singing, but you were told to be quiet.
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Maybe you have a strong intuition, but were encouraged to be purely logical.
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These unacknowledged positive traits can leave us feeling incomplete or unfulfilled.
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Shadow work involves reclaiming these hidden gifts and integrating them into
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our own conscious awareness.
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So, how do we actually do this shadow work thingy?
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You're probably asking yourself, how do we do it? How do we do it?
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It's not about some dramatic confrontation, right?
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It's a gentler process of observation and integration.
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So, here's a few starting points, right? You know what to do.
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Crayon, marker, Sharpie, pen, smartphone, whatever you use. Here we go.
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We have a few great starting points for shadow work.
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The first one's been a really, really big help for me. Pay attention to your reactions.
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Pay attention to your reactions. What triggers strong emotional responses in you.
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Anger, jealousy, intense judgment,
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these are often clues pointing to an unacknowledged aspect of your shadow.
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Instead of immediately reacting, try to pause and then ask yourself,
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what's this reaction really about?
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What parts of me feel threatened or uncomfortable, right? Number one.
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Number two, explore your projections.
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Explore your projections. Who really pushes your buttons? Who is it? I have a few people.
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But here's the question you need. What qualities do you find particularly irritating in others?
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What is it? Be honest with yourself.
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Could you possess a deliverer of that same trait?
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Signs are pointing to yes, right? Now, this isn't about self-blame,
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but about recognizing the shared human experience.
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The more that I dove into this one, the more I realize that a lot of my issues
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with other people are issues that I have with myself. And you'll find that too.
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And then you realize, okay, well, then it's something I need to work on.
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It's not something they need to work on.
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All right, that was number two. Number three, reflect on your dreams.
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Reflect on your dreams. Jung believed that dreams often provided a direct line to the unconscious.
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Pay attention to the characters and emotions in your dreams.
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Are there figures who represent parts of yourself you're not acknowledging in
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your waking life? Something to think about.
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All right, number four is journaling with intention. Not just writing anything,
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but being intentional about it.
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Dedicate time to write about your feelings, especially the uncomfortable ones.
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Ask yourself, what am I shamed of? What do I try to hide from other people, including myself?
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And what are the reoccurring negative self-talk patterns?
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Man, I can tell you my walks on the beach, especially in 2020 when I was going
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through this discovery journey for myself and the times that just out of nowhere
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negativity would just pop up because it was, I was doing the work.
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I was being positive and you could just, it was bubbling up because it was being ignored.
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It was being choked of life.
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And to see it fight that battle so hard was incredible. But be intentional.
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What are we ashamed of? What are we hiding?
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Why are these negative thoughts reoccurring? Be honest with yourself and love
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yourself enough to give yourself those answers.
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All right, last one. Number five, practice self-compassion. All right, this is crucial.
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Shadow work is not about beating yourself up, all right?
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Be kind and gentle with yourself as you explore these hidden aspects.
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Remember, these parts of your development are for a reason, and they're often,
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a form of protection, if you really think about it.
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So be kind to yourself, all right?
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Now, this week, here's what I want you to do, all right?
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Let's call it the shadow self-portrait. Right. So sometime this week,
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I want you to find a quiet space where you won't be disturbed.
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Take out a piece of paper and some colored pens or pencils.
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I want you to close your eyes and bring to mind quality in yourself that you dislike or try to hide.
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It could be impatience, a tendency to procrastinate, judgmental streak,
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whatever it is, whatever comes to mind.
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Now, without judgment, start to draw a representation of this quality.
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It doesn't have to be realistic. It could be abstract, symbolic,
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whatever feels right to you.
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What colors does it have? What shapes, what textures?
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As you draw, try to connect with the feeling associated with this quality.
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What do you feel in your body? What thoughts accompany it?
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Now, once you're done, take a moment and look at your drawing. This is a part of you.
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It might not be the most glamorous part, but it is still a part of your whole.
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Now, on a separate piece of paper, draw a symbol or an image that represents
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compassion and acceptance.
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This could be a gentle hand, a warm light, a certain shape.
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Finally, draw a line or a bridge connecting your shadow self portrait to the
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symbol of your compassion.
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This represents your intention to approach this hidden part of yourself with
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understanding and kindness.
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Go ahead and put this drawing somewhere where you can see it this week and remind yourself that all.
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All parts of you deserve acknowledgement and acceptance.
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Pop that baby on the fridge. Go right ahead. All right?
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Now, as we know, this isn't a one-time fix-it. All right?
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This is going to be an ongoing journey. It's going to require courage and honesty
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and a willingness to look beneath the surface.
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But the rewards are immense. greater self-awareness more enthusiastic or more
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authentic relationships increased emotional resilience and a deeper sense of
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wholeness by befriending our shadows,
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we don't eliminate the darkness we integrate it into the light allowing ourselves
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full brilliance to shine through,
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folks that's it that is episode 100 I want to thank you so much for joining
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me if you found this episode helpful,
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please share it with someone who might need it and don't forget to like and
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subscribe our podcast for even more content like this you can find us on Apple
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leave a review and help spread the word we're also active on social media you
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can find us there for even more inspiration Facebook, YouTube,
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Instagram, Threads and TikTok,
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I want to thank you so much for listening to episode 100.
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To everyone who's listening in the states who's everyone who's listening in
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Mexico, who's everyone who's listening in South Africa, Ghana,
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the Philippines, Russia, France, Great Britain, Italy,
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and so many other countries. Thank you so much.
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I appreciate you. We appreciate you here at the Catalyst Motivation Podcast.
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Thanks for listening to episode 100 we'll see you next time for episode 101,
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marching on our way to 200 thank you so much go be great.