Doing the Hard Shadow Work Will Be Needed This Year
For People Who Did Not Start Doing the Work, This Year Is Your Chance!
For me, 2023 was an emotionally heavy year, yet with so much growth and surfacing of deep unconscious emotions.
Because so much has risen to the surface, we can now see such deep unconscious patterns in our psyche and on the “world stage” (individually and collectively, in 3D).
This is not always (or ever) fun, but it is a part of the journey.
This year will be the year when I finally release many of my deeper fears, let go of emotional baggage, and cut ties with people that no longer fit into my life, including letting go of my current job.
2023 prepared me for this.
I strongly believe I am not alone.
Many are “doing the work,” looking into themselves, asking questions like: “Is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life?” “How can I make my habits (unconscious patterns) more sustainable and be more loving towards myself and others?”
The Call Many Are Hearing
2024 is not just another year. It’s a call to action, especially for those who haven’t started yet.
It’s about doing the hard shadow work. You know, the kind of work that takes you deep into the parts of yourself that you might have been avoiding.
Shadow work, it sounds kind of mysterious, right?
But it’s really about facing the parts of ourselves that we’ve pushed aside, ignored, or maybe didn’t even know existed.
It’s about looking at our fears, our insecurities, and our past hurts straight in the eye.
Why now, you ask? Well, because the world is changing fast, and to keep up, we need to be the best versions of ourselves. And you can’t be your best if you’re dragging a bunch of unresolved stuff behind you.
In my life, trying meditation, breathing practices, walking a lot, and cold exposure have already really helped. If you try a lot of things, you will find what works.
The meditation circle I go to every Friday (1hr of silent sitting) really helps me to process the week, and I can ask my meditation teacher for advice if something is coming up!
Maybe you have something like this around you?
Find Your Practice, Find Your Community, and Start Building What You Truly Want to See.
For those who haven’t started this journey, I want to say — this year is your golden opportunity. There’s something about the energy of 2024 that’s just ripe for personal growth and transformation.
And no, it’s not going to be all rainbows and butterflies. It’s tough to face your inner demons. But believe me, it’s worth it.
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Think of it like cleaning out a closet. It’s a mess in there, things you don’t need, things you’ve forgotten about.
But once you start sorting through, organizing, and getting rid of what doesn’t serve you anymore, you feel lighter. You can breathe easier. That’s what shadow work does to your soul.
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It’s about taking those little steps. Maybe start with journaling — write down your thoughts and feelings, especially the ones you avoid.
Or talk to someone, a therapist, a friend, someone who can help you process these hidden parts of yourself.
For me, this also means regularly go to my kinesiologist to talk about what’s currently going on in my life and resolve a lot of unconscious thought patterns that hold me back from truly being myself, in my full power.
And remember, it’s okay to go slow. You don’t have to figure everything out at once.
The important thing is that you start.
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I really like how you describe and discuss Shadow Work here. Thanks for writing this Tobias
Guilty as charged. For most of my adult life I’ve struggled with anxiety and never really dug deep into the “whys” of it. I would always just tell myself “Well, I’m just an anxious person” and accepted it as part of the total package.
I realize now that this was just my way of avoiding coming to terms with it. I was afraid of staring it in the eye. But it’s only with confronting and processing your fears that you have any chance of overcoming them.
Tobias, 2024 is the year that I'm committing to doing the shadow work. In 2023 I reached a point where enough was enough and I no longer was interested in carrying this baggage around with me any longer. I began therapy as well as a regular mindfulness practice and these two things are gradually allowing me to see reality as it is and to no longer be fooled by my own self-narrative.
Thanks for this piece. I appreciate and totally agree with your perspective.