shadow work: it Might Just Save Your Career (and Sanity)
More and more of us are realising: if you're trying to make even a tiny dent in the colossal mess we're facing, you need internal stability more than ever.
It’s how you stay in the game.
Most external circumstances we can't control, at least not in the short term. But there is so much we can influence, especially if we have the privilege to do so.
Finding that inner grounding - a certain peace in the chaos - can be achieved in many ways. (And you don’t have to disappear off to Bali for a month.)
I’d like to talk about one particular way: by tapping into your natural talents. More specifically, the talents that are currently unused or unseen.
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Carl Jung, Swiss psychiatrist and all-round thinker of Big Thoughts, introduced the idea of the "shadow"; the parts of yourself you have disowned, suppressed, or shoved into some dusty backroom of your psyche. Because they didn't fit the picture of who you were "allowed" to be.
Shadow work has gotten a bit of a bad rap, like it’s always about shameful secrets or endlessly reliving childhood trauma.
But really, it’s often much simpler (and, dare I say, more fun):
It’s about finding the brilliant parts of you that got thrown out with the bathwater. It’s about rediscovering qualities that might feel ordinary to you… but are valuable to the world. And more importantly: make you feel more at home in yourself (and that is definitely valuable to the world!).
Especially if you're a purpose-driven professional, shadow work can be a game-changer.
Because one day you wake up, after years of loving your cause, and wonder:
"Why do I feel like a ghost in my own career?"
The answer isn’t always "the system is broken" (although, sure, sometimes it definitely is). Sometimes, it’s closer to home.
Sometimes, it’s because you’re running at half-power, leaving crucial parts of yourself locked away.
The ‘Bossy’ thing - A real example from yours truly:
As a kid, I loved leading creative projects, building imaginary worlds with my friends. Then came the fateful day when a group of friends called me "bossy" and a few other charming names (you know kids and their tact).
Boom: leadership, out the window.
I can’t say exactly how fast it happened, but somewhere along the line, shame got attached to having a strong voice.
Internally, leading and guiding others went straight to the department labelled ‘Gets You Rejected’.
When I finally looked back and reclaimed that natural leadership energy, it didn’t even change me that much on the outside. But it gave me access to a new resource. And perhaps even more importantly, it helped me accept myself more fully.
I noticed less self-doubt, fewer existential "Is this my true calling?" spirals. And, for example, it also gave me the confidence to create my own coaching programme (Impact Sweet Spot!).
How to Start Finding Your Shadow Gifts:
Notice what triggers you in others: That chatty colleague? That uncooperative boss? The "always positive" one? Somewhere in your irritation is a clue. It most likely means you’re hiding that quality in yourself, albeit in a different form.
Notice your admiration: (Yes, it sounds paradoxical.) Traits you admire often mirror your own hidden strengths and reveal a longing to bring them out.
Think back to your teenage self: Before life taught you what was "acceptable." What did you love doing? What talents did you quietly shelve after some cutting comment (whether from the meanies or even the well-meaning)?
And for the record: This isn't about becoming "perfect" or "healed". It’s more like reclaiming energy, and rebuilding a better compass for making choices in your work.
One essential last thing: uncover the judgments you hold about these hidden qualities. Start to question them. When you loosen their grip, you can begin to imagine how these qualities, when unshackled, might serve you in your current role, even open new paths in your career.
How I see it is exploring your shadow gifts is about becoming more alive in a world that doesn’t always reward authenticity - but desperately needs it.
Interested to explore what might be waiting for some attention in your shadow?
🌟Join our upcoming Impact Sweet Spot Workshop – Book Your Spot
or
🌟Book a free clarity call.
Visual concept and design by me, using licensed illustration elements.
