Hola amigos!
Greetings from this little corner of the internet. I hope you’re doing amazing!
I had to take a pause last Monday—I really needed a break. Why? Honestly, I’m not even sure anymore. Could it be January? Winter’s SAD? Endometriosis effects? Maybe all of the above.
But anyway, sometimes we just need to take a break and care for ourselves. We need time to recharge, to pause, to observe, to let go, to detach from the movable. And if we find ourselves a little lost, we need time to come back, to ground ourselves in the unmovable. To stop fighting and stop believing we are our shadow.
Carl Jung defined the shadow as the hidden aspects of our personality that we repress or deny because we view them as undesirable or socially unacceptable. We all have a shadow—it might be an emotion we feel or parts of our personality we’re ashamed of.
As we grow up, we accumulate information and interpret it through the lens of our nervous system. This interpretation forms our belief system, which then shapes our personality. Some psychologists even refer to this as the “fake personality.”
The parts of ourselves we don’t love don’t simply disappear. They live in our unconscious and influence our actions, reactions, and yes, even the way we relate to others and build relationships. Repressed emotions can lead to anxiety, depression, and addiction. The more we repress our shadow, the more freedom we lose.
The best thing we can do is observe the shadow, become aware of it, and accept all parts of ourselves. Are you willing to love your shadow and stop hiding it?
In my belief system, I’ve convinced myself that I’m not good at maintaining long-lasting relationships—and that’s a part of my shadow. There, I said it.
What about you? What’s a part of your shadow that you’re ready to acknowledge?
Love & Sparkles,
Ishani
To eat: So, I found this guy on YouTube (you know I love YT) who makes recipes with cucumbers 🥒. Ever since I watched one of his videos, I’ve been craving cucumbers. The other day, I made one of his recipes, and OMG, I just want to eat this every day.
To read: Geez, I’m loving this book. I think it was a trend a few years ago, but I always thought it wasn’t my kind of book… and well, turns out it is. A friend of mine told me about it years ago, then hubby and I bought it for another friend, and they read it… and now I am too. It’s wonderful!
To watch: Or not to!! We watched The Joker, the new one with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. It’s too sad for me. I won’t watch it again. First of all, I’m not a big fan of musicals, and this one is. Plus, the story is already sad enough for me, but now Lady Gaga makes it even sadder, in my opinion. So, your call—but although Joaquin Phoenix is an extraordinary actor, the movie is way too sad for me.
To work: I’ve told you this before, I think… but the Pomodoro technique + my meditation (when use it consistently) helps me achieve everything I want in the day. Here’s the app if you want to try it, and the link to one of my favorite exercises from my meditation.
Check out my New Short!
(if you want to)