I was working with one of my clients recently on 'The Shadow'.   You know - those bits of ourselves that we're not so proud or fond of.

 

We had already been working on what this person liked about themselves and what they were proud of.   The part where we acknowledge what we've achieved in life can be quite tricky for some people, especially if they have a tendency to be self-critical.   It can be quite embarrassing, because we're not used to 'blowing our own trumpet'.

 

But if we're truly going to learn the art of unconditional  love, then we have to be prepared to look at those bits we feel bad or ashamed about.   This was the subject of my session with this client and I thought you might find some of what we discussed helpful.

 

The interesting thing with this aspect of my work is that clients can easily identify these character traits within themselves - things like the critic, the cynic, the angry, the argumentative, the manipulator etc etc.   However, when I start to work through these traits with them, they often find that, in some way, a lot of these perceived 'negative' traits have actually been of service to them in some way. It may have been the thing that saved them from harm, helped them stand up to a bully or got them through a challenging situation for example.

 

In 'shadow work', you can choose the things it serves you to accept about yourself or the ones you want to work to change.    If a particular trait does not serve you in any way and simply undermines you, maybe it's time to work on that.

 

But the most important thing from this work is to understand that sometimes, even those character traits we view dimly about ourselves, can turn out to be a blessing and, if we can love and accept ourselves exactly the way we are TODAY, that's when we make real progress.   We tend to be less critical & judgemental, less stressed, less easily upset and more ready to enjoy life and release limiting beliefs about ourselves.  If we're compassionate with ourselves, we can be more forgiving of those around us and this is where real change starts.

 

At the end of the day, isn't it our perceived faults, rising above challenges and the quirky bits about us that make us more human and more interesting?   Wouldn't life be dull if we were all the same and nobody ever made mistakes?   Where would we learn and how would we grow if these things weren't there?  What would be the point?

 

What is it in your life that you've been criticising yourself for, which could be a blessing in disguise?   Wouldn't this be something worth exploring?   Isn't it time you stopped being critical and started to love yourself and give yourself credit for the things you've achieved.  Wouldn't you benefit if you started to change those things which hold you back?

 

If you want to know how, give me a call and let's start creating calm, clarity & confidence in your life!

 

With love

 

Annie x

 

 

If you want to know more about how I can help you, using proven techniques which work fast, call me on   0772 581 8884 or contact me on  annie@breathingspacetherapies.com