Confronting The Shadow

Simply put, it is our insecurities which make "The Shadow",

It is the things about us we don't quite like or understand yet.

Its All the thoughts that keep us up at night.

The Shadow is the very thing that keeps our mind from peace.

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we see hints of it everywhere,

from a negative perception of an otherwise normal situation,

to an ordinary action in the world that we take personally.

our mind as the confirmation bias expert, has picked its story

and bases all received information around it, good or bad.

A situation doesn't necessarily have to be negative,

but the unresolved pain from our past can leave us convinced it is.

whether we actively remember the pain or not,

our actions and reactions are still dictated by it.

That pain has never left,

the younger versions of us are looking for clarity

they send routine reminders of the pain for whenever we're ready.

It's hard to heal, but the wound certainly doesn't hide.

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there's likely no cure-all,

but confronting your shadow with self love

and acceptance is perhaps a required start.

so make sure to truly challenge the bothersome thoughts that may occupy your mind, but remember this;

You've made no "mistake".

EVERY action you ever take is with ALL the information you've ever learned.

you can only have a regret once you realize a better decision was possible,

and if you knew that...

well, you probably would have taken it!

you would never willingly choose wrong, but often we blame ourselves for it.

in reality, the past is solid.

despite how you feel about a "regret",

you've now learned the "better" solution for next time where you'll be ready to act.

understanding and accepting our past is incredibly hard, but wildly rewarding.

The shadow is something to integrate, not push away.

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"The more you try to avoid suffering, the more you suffer,

and the more you suffer, the less you avoid it."

-Alan Watts