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Shadow Work Journaling: The Self-Care Trend I’m Finally Brave Enough To Try

Turns out, our shadows aren’t just about negative traits; they also hold hidden gems like creativity, untapped potential, and surprising self-awareness, all just waiting to be unearthed.

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I’ve always been fascinated by self-reflection tools. I love vision boards and have spent far too many nights obsessively Googling Enneagrams. But shadow journaling? Now that’s an entirely new beast. The idea of confronting the shadowy corners of my mind feels equal parts thrilling and terrifying—like digging through a box labelled “DO NOT OPEN” that I’ve been actively ignoring for years. But you know what? This is the year I finally rip off the tape and see what’s inside.

Shadow work journaling is having a serious moment and for good reason. It’s about bringing those hidden parts of ourselves into the light—not to shame or banish them, but to understand and integrate them. Turns out, our shadows aren’t just about negative traits; they also hold hidden gems like creativity, untapped potential, and surprising self-awareness, all just waiting to be unearthed. Seems intimidating but I’m ready to grab a pen and start my shadow work journey. Here’s how you can too.

Baby Steps Into the Shadows

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Start small and slow, when you sit down for the first session, set a timer for 10 minutes. Just 10 minutes of letting the pen do the talking while trying not to judge what spilt out onto the page. Go easy on yourself. If you feel overwhelmed, you can always close your journal and come back to it later. It can feel intimidating staring at a blank page and wondering which emotional skeletons to tackle first. That’s where prompts come in, guiding you to the juicy (and sometimes sticky) parts of your psyche.

Here are a few that got me thinking:

What do I think is my worst trait? Why?

Who has the most influence over me and my decisions?

What do I need to forgive myself for?

Answering these questions felt surprisingly freeing, like finally cleaning out the junk drawer of my mind. The prompts helped me stay focused, even when I wanted to bolt.

Celebrate Your Wins

One thing I’ve learnt so far is progress deserves celebration. Even if all I managed was scribbling one awkward sentence about my fear of confrontation, it’s a step in the right direction. Self-reflection is tough work, but it’s also transformative. Giving myself permission to celebrate—even if it’s just treating myself to a fancy latte afterwards—helps me stay motivated.

Why Shadow Journaling Feels So Relevant Now

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Shadow journaling it’s a response to our collective craving for authenticity in a world of filters and facades. It invites us to get real with ourselves, peeling back the layers to uncover what’s been quietly shaping our thoughts and behaviours all along. Plus, bringing your shadow into the light doesn’t just foster personal growth—it makes life feel richer, fuller, and more intentional. When you understand your triggers, patterns, and hidden strengths, you start showing up in the world with more clarity and confidence.

Am I Ready for This?

Honestly? I’m equal parts excited and terrified. But ignoring the unconscious doesn’t make it go away—it just means it keeps calling the shots from the shadows. Shadow journaling is about stepping into that discomfort, facing what’s hidden, and accepting the messy, beautiful spectrum of who you are—light and dark, joy and pain, chaos and clarity. It’s not about perfection; it’s about progress. And maybe, just maybe, by facing my shadows, I’ll find a little more light and a lot more self-love along the way.

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