Shadow Exercise

To finish the exercise:

- [Previously:] You wrote down those five of your gifts which other people call out
  all the time.
- Now write down the opposite of each item you previously wrote.
- The person _this second list describes_ is your shadow.
- So: Visualize that person. What do they look like? Can you see them in your mind's eye?
- When this person is completely shut out, they will burst out.
  - This can cause unwanted pain, embarrassment, and it could even cost you your life.
  - You may end up inadvertently hurting someone, by criticizing them when you see in them
    your own shadow.
- So: How can you periodically make some space for that person to manifest in your
  life, without giving up your greatest gifts?
  - I could [...] more often
  - During the day, I could ask myself if I need to just [...] now
- Consider giving that person a voice. In your journal, write out a conversation
  with that person. Or use other means to let them talk to you.
- This is a powerful exercise of the intuition. It's not for everybody. But I hope it
  works for you.
- It is important to pay attention to your shadow. Not to "fix" it, not to "become" it,
  but to just give it some light attention. To learn to hold its hand a bit, to let it
  in. Not to let it steal the show, but to let it in.
- When you're done, remember that you can always fall back on your core strengths. They
  are core strengths for a reason! There is no reason to think they are dumb, or old, or
  uncool. You are you, and that's where much of your luck will come from in life.

Speaking of which: I hope you learned something, and good luck!

-- Marc Carson, Life Coach, www.marccarsoncoaching.com