In 2023, I went through a mentally hard time. While I was working on improving my mental health, I decided to try shadow work focusing on self-discovery for the very first time in my life. Shadow work seemed like a good choice because I needed not only to heal but also to understand and know myself better – even the parts that I wasn’t proud of or comfortable with. I used to be a person who wasn’t confrontational, didn’t communicate my needs in my relationships, and was unable to express my feelings in a way that wouldn’t overwhelm me. Shadow work helped me work on these aspects of myself and shadow self, and most importantly, accept them. Since then, shadow work has been essential to my weekly wellness routine.
What is defined as shadow self, though?
The concept of shadow self was introduced by Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Carl Jung and essentially, is composed of the parts of ourselves that we tend to reject. Our shadow self develops during childhood and is usually connected to our dark side, although it’s important to note that there’s nothing truly bad about it. Instead, our shadow self is primarily connected to the unhealed wounds and suppressed desires of our inner child.
What are the benefits of shadow work?
Shadow work can potentially benefit our lives and our general well-being in many ways. I believe that one of the most important benefits of shadow work is that it helps us identify and subsequently accept our flaws and the traits of our personality that we don’t feel comfortable with. That leads us to understand ourselves better and subsequently, our social presence and relationships with others can also improve. Shadow work is also a useful tool when it comes to coping with trauma, grief, and other difficult emotions. Lastly, shadow work can improve our confidence and self-esteem and help with self-improvement and self-love.
In this blog post, I’ll share with you 20 journal prompts that you can use to start exploring shadow work, overcoming past wounds, and working toward healing your inner child.
20 Shadow Work Journal Prompts for Inner Healing
1. How have I been avoiding confronting my negative beliefs and feelings?
2. When was the first time I felt truly insecure? Who or what made me feel like this?
3. What do I do that makes me toxic in my relationships?
4. Write a letter to your inner child. What would you apologize for and what would you tell them to hold on to?
5. Have I forgiven myself for the things I’m not proud of? If not, what steps can I take in that direction?
6. What is something I feel uncomfortable admitting even to myself? Why do I feel this way?
7. What do I believe I’m incapable of achieving? When did I start feeling this way about myself?
8. What are the aspects of myself that I haven’t fully accepted and that I often judge or scrutinize?
9. Are there any unresolved resentments that I should address before moving forward in my life?
10. Who has influenced me most in my life and why?
11. What are my main emotional triggers and how do I cope with them? What could I improve?
12. When do I feel loved and validated by others? How can I start making myself feel that?
13. What do I consider to be my biggest mistake? Write a letter to yourself, forgiving you for it.
14. Have I noticed any negative patterns that keep showing up in my life and relationships? What’s my responsibility in this case and how can I break this cycle?
15. What do I consider to be my greatest weakness? Can I find any strength hiding in it?
16. What’s my authentic self being like? How often do I show it to others?
17. Do I try to hide any aspects of myself from others? What do I believe would happen if I showed them?
18. What was one time that made me feel rejected? What was my reaction like?
19. What makes me feel the most alive? How often do I feel like this?
20. What can I start doing today that would make my younger self proud?
These are 20 journal prompts that will help you get started with shadow work, know yourself better, and take the first steps toward inner feeling.
Have a lovely day!
