#42 SHADOW SIDES AND FALSE PROJECTIONS


It's time for us to gently turn toward those hidden parts of ourselves with curiosity and love—not judgment. This episode is about our shadow sides. About our inner child (again).

When we lovingly acknowledge our shadow sides, something beautiful happens: we naturally begin creating a more authentic life, responding to situations with greater emotional maturity, and opening ourselves to more joy, abundance, and positive energy.
It's like finally letting sunlight into rooms of your heart that have been dark for too long.

So what exactly is a shadow side?  Imagine every person you meet as a kind mirror, reflecting back aspects of yourself—some comfortable, some not so much.
When we encounter someone, we're not just seeing them; we're experiencing a dance of energies, where all sorts of thoughts, beliefs, and feelings get quietly activated within us. And here's the tender truth: everyone we meet stirs something in us. It might be their confidence, their way of speaking, how they dress, their laughter, their silence, the way they move through the world, or simply their presence.

Sometimes what gets activated feels wonderful—we feel inspired or uplifted. Other times, we feel uncomfortable, irritated, or even upset.This is where our shadow sides come into play.

When someone triggers a strong negative reaction in you—that uncomfortable feeling that rises up seemingly out of nowhere—that's often your shadow side saying, "Pay attention! There's something here for you to see."
A shadow side is simply an aspect of yourself that you've had a hard time accepting or embracing. It's a part of you—maybe even a tiny part—that you've unconsciously decided you don't want to be or have.

Throughout your life, especially from childhood, there are certain qualities, emotions, or ways of being that you learned were "not okay" or "not acceptable." Maybe you were told it wasn't nice to be angry, or that being too sensitive was weak, or that wanting attention was selfish. So you lovingly tucked those parts of yourself away in the shadows, thinking you were protecting yourself or becoming a "better" person.

The truth is that those buried aspects don't disappear—they live quietly in your mind and body, alongside your wounded inner child - that younger version of you who didn't always get the love, acknowledgment, or understanding she needed – when you were a child. A little girl.
She's still there, holding hands with your shadow sides, and sometimes she speaks through your reactions to others.

When someone mirrors back a quality you've rejected in yourself, your inner child and shadow sides often react strongly. You might find yourself thinking, "I would never be like that person. I'm so much better than that." And while you are indeed a beautiful, worthy woman, the strong reaction itself is a gentle invitation to look within and ask, "What is this really about?"

Every time someone triggers you—yes, even that person who seems particularly challenging—you're being offered a precious gift. It's an opportunity to grow both spiritually and personally. The key is bringing loving awareness to what's actually happening inside you, rather than immediately projecting your discomfort onto them.

Your shadow sides aren't enemies to defeat—they're lost parts of you waiting to come home. And every person who triggers you is actually offering you a map back to wholeness.

Thanks for listening.
//ASH

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