Tired of playing by other people's rules? Ready to uncover your true self, break free from other's expectations and live a life based on your Soul's desire? Then this step-by-step guide is for you!
This blog post will take you through a process of self-discovery, encouraging you to embrace your true self, explore your shadow self, and live a life aligned with your deepest values. Let's dive in!
Ready to go beyond the surface? We'll use three of my top favorite self-discovery tools; journaling, tarot, and breathwork in this process of uncovering your true self. So you'll definitely want to find a quiet space, grab your favorite journal, pen, cup of tea, and your most-cherished tarot or oracle deck.
Step 1: Self-Reflection and Assessment
This is where the magic begins! You definitely don't want to skip over this part. By examining your core-desired feelings, values, reflecting on past experiences, and identifying your deepest desires, you gain a clearer understanding of who you are and what truly matters to you.
Clarifying Your Values & Core Desired Feelings
This is one of the first steps I take clients through when we go through the Soul Shift VIP Intensive. We uncover their Core-Desired Feelings then work together to align their goals with these deepest desires, connecting them to their Soul's desire.
By clarifying your values and core desired feelings and aligning them with your goals, you can truly live an inspired life and take consistent, inspired action. This process can be challenging, but it's SO worth it. You'll begin to live with more authenticity, rebellion—allowing you to break free from societal expectations—and agency.
Empaths, highly-sensitives and well-meaning people often live our lives based on other people's dreams or societal expectations, leading to feelings of emptiness and disconnect. By identifying your chosen areas of mastery, you're aligning your actions with your own authentic desires and passions.
Perhaps you want a job that allows you to relax after work, or maybe you want to do deeply meaningful and fulfilling work. You might find joy in introspection and deep inner work, while there are those who thrive in multiple areas and pursue multifaceted passions. The key is to identify what brings you joy and fulfillment.
Action: Spend time freewriting.
Take 15 minutes to free write your thoughts and feelings without judgment. Here are some journal prompts to get you started.
Self-Reflection and Assessment Journal Prompts:
What do I most value? (e.g., honesty, integrity, compassion, freedom, creativity)
What are the most important qualities I want to embody?
What feelings do I most desire to experience in my daily life? (e.g., joy, peace, love, freedom, excitement, confidence, strength)
How can I align my goals with these core desired feelings?
What activities bring me the most joy and fulfillment?
In what areas do I feel most passionate and enthusiastic?
What contributions do I want to make to the world?
What legacy do I want to leave behind?
What would I do if I knew I couldn't fail?
What are my natural strengths and talents?
How can I leverage my strengths to achieve my goals?
What brings me true joy and fulfillment? How do I most long to feel?
Learn more about how to live a soul-aligned life, a life based on your most desired feelings with Core Desired Feelings, to help you create soul-anchored intentions that guide your life by watching this video.
Step 2: Shadow Work and Inner Exploration
Shadow work involves acknowledging and integrating the darker aspects of your personality. Just as a seed needs darkness to germinate, creativity often emerges from periods of stagnancy and incubation. Think about those times where you've felt devoid of any creative spirit or ideas – right after that, you often experience a surge of inspiration, a burst of light and fire or a "birth through darkness."
By acknowledging and integrating those darker aspects of yourself, you're cutting through the illusions that have been holding you back. Sometimes it takes reaching a breaking point – feeling "sick of our own behaviors" – to truly catalyze transformation and act as a "slingshot effect," propelling you towards significant personal growth.
In shadow work, you're shining a light on your shadows – noticing how your limiting beliefs and how your inner critic might be driving your actions or behaviors. And through shadow work, you might even start recognizing that some of your perceived "weaknesses" might actually be strengths in disguise. Perhaps you're "slow to action" because you deeply value intuition and want to ensure you're making the right choices.
The goal is to gently untangle these limiting patterns and release the behaviors that are no longer serving you. By shining a light on your shadows, you can begin to understand their roots and learn to use them as catalysts for growth, rather than allowing them to hold you back.
Here are some journal prompts to get you started.
Shadow Work and Inner Exploration Journal Prompts:
"Birth Through Darkness":
Reflect on a time when you experienced a period of creative drought or felt stuck in a rut. How did you emerge from this period? What insights or realizations came to you afterwards?
Can you identify any other areas in your life where periods of "darkness" have led to unexpected growth or transformation?
Identifying Shadows:
What are your known weaknesses?
What resources or support do you avoid when it comes to addressing those weaknesses?
What steps do you avoid taking to develop or improve in these areas?
What are your deepest fears and insecurities?
How are these shadow aspects hindering your progress?
Unveiling Limiting Beliefs:
What are some of your limiting beliefs? How might these beliefs be influencing your actions and decisions?
How does your inner critic manifest itself? What kind of messages does it send you?
Can you identify any situations where your "weaknesses" have actually served you well?
Breaking Free from Limiting Patterns:
What patterns are you tired of repeating?
What rules are you tired of playing by? What behaviors are you tired of engaging in?
What are you willing to break free from or stop doing to live a more authentic life?
Action: Breathwork Practice
Try this Cord-Cutting Conscious Connected Breathwork session to help you explore subconscious patterns, release emotional blockages, regain your power, and release those cords that are weighing you down.
Important Note: Due to the intense nature of this breathwork style, please skip the breathwork portion of this meditation if you have a history of aneurysms or strokes or are currently in a high-risk pregnancy.
For the full version of the breathwork practice, you'll want to check out the Mini-Conscious Breath Connection Course."
Step 3: Cultivating Self-Care and Inner Peace
Practices that nourish your body and mind, reduce stress, and create a sense of inner peace. Self-care practices, such as meditation, yoga, and spending time in nature, allow you to connect with your inner wisdom and cultivate a deeper sense of self. By prioritizing self-care, you are honoring your body and mind, creating space for inner peace and allowing your true self to shine through.
Self-care isn't about indulgence; it's about honoring your needs and creating space for your true self to shine through. Here are some ways you can incorporate self-care.
Mindful Movement & Connection: Explore mindful movement practices like yoga, tai chi, or simply mindful walking, paying attention to your breath, your body in motion, and the sensations of the present moment. Consider spending time in nature to connect with the Earth's grounding energy. As Julie Cameron suggests, walking can be a profound way to connect with your inner wisdom.
Creative Expansion: Engage in creative outlets that allow you to connect with your inner world. Whether it's painting, writing, playing music, or any other form of artistic expression, these activities can help you tap into your inner wisdom and cultivate a deeper sense of self. Remember, as the artist and the art, you are the experiencer of the thing you are creating.
Prioritizing Your Essentials:
Nourishment: Fuel your body with healthy foods and prioritize quality sleep. Experiment with different sleep schedules to determine what works best for you. Try incorporating short naps or Yoga Nidra sessions throughout the day if needed.
Movement: Find ways to incorporate movement into your daily routine, whether it's a brisk walk, a dance break, or stretching exercises.
Mindful Breaks: Schedule breaks throughout your day for deep breathing exercises, restorative yoga, or mindful meditation. These brief moments of mindfulness can help you stay focused and avoid burnout.
Journal Prompts for Cultivating Self-Care and Inner Peace:
How can I incorporate more mindful movement into my daily life?
What are some ways I can connect with nature and experience the grounding energy of the Earth?
How can I use creative expression as a tool for self-discovery and inner exploration?
How can I improve my sleep quality? What changes can I make to my daily routine to ensure I get enough rest?
How can I nourish my body with healthy foods and prioritize physical activity?
How can I incorporate more mindful breaks and relaxation techniques into my daily routine?
What self-care practices am I most interested in exploring? Which bring me joy and relaxation? How can I incorporate them into my daily, weekly, or monthly routine?
Am I holding onto any grudges?
Is there anyone I need to forgive (including myself)?
Am I punishing myself or anyone else? And how is this impacting my peace?
What areas of my life could benefit from decluttering? How can I create a more peaceful and organized environment?
Action:
Commit to one self-care activity, even if it's 5 minutes. It can be something as simple as a walk in nature, pulling a tarot card, enjoying your favorite cup of tea on your porch during sunset. or reading a book.
Step 4: Connecting with Your Inner Wisdom
Deep within your resides an inner wisdom, a quiet knowing that guides you towards a more fulfilling and authentic life. This inner wisdom is a wellspring of intuition, creativity, and inspiration. It's a source of profound knowledge that transcends the limitations of the conscious mind.
Cultivating this connection involves quieting the mental chatter, creating space for stillness, and learning to listen to the subtle whispers of your inner guidance. This might manifest as a gut feeling, a sudden insight, a recurring dream, or simply a sense of knowing.
By paying attention to these inner signals and learning to trust your intuition, you can make more aligned choices, navigate life's challenges with greater ease, and live a life that truly reflects your authentic self.
Here are some journal prompts to help you connect with your inner wisdom.
Journal Prompts for Connecting with Your Inner Wisdom:
Recognizing Intuitive Hits:
Describe a recent situation where you felt a strong intuitive nudge. What was the situation, and what specific details of the nudge do you remember?
How did your body react to this intuitive nudge? What physical sensations did you experience?
If you had followed your intuition in this situation, how might things have turned out differently?
Cultivating Intuitive Awareness:
What are the most common distractions that prevent you from noticing your intuitive nudges?
How can you create more space in your daily routine to simply observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment?
In what ways does your intuition express itself subtly? (e.g., fleeting thoughts, recurring dreams, sudden shifts in mood)
Trusting Your Inner Guidance:
What are the specific consequences of ignoring your intuition that you've experienced in the past?
How can you practice trusting your intuition in small, everyday decisions to build confidence?
What would it look like to make one decision today based solely on your intuition? What are the potential risks and rewards?
Action: Tarot Practice: "The Intuitive Nudge"
Card Selection: Choose one card from your Tarot deck intuitively. Don't overthink it; simply let your hand gravitate towards a card.
Reflection:
What is the main message of this card related to recognizing intuitive nudges?
How can this card's imagery or symbolism help you become more aware of your intuitive hits?
Does the card suggest any specific actions you can take to increase your receptivity to intuition?
Journaling:
Reflect on the card's message in your journal.
Consider how this card's guidance can be applied to a specific situation in your life where you feel you might be missing intuitive cues.
Step 5: Embracing Your Unique Path
This step is all about taking that leap of faith and embracing the unique path that is truly yours. Remember how we explored your core desired feelings and uncovered your shadow self in the previous steps? Now it's time to bring those insights to life.
As I mentioned earlier, "Empaths, highly-sensitives and well-meaning people often live our lives based on other people's dreams or societal expectations, leading to feelings of emptiness and disconnect." This step is about breaking free from those external expectations and embracing your own unique path. What if you simply allowed yourself to be more of who you truly are?
This is your time let your unique light illuminate the world. This is all about embracing and honoring that inner spark, that unique blend of passions, insights, and dreams that makes you, well, you.
True growth often happens when we step outside of our comfort zones, but let's be real, pushing yourself too hard can feel overwhelming. This isn't about a dramatic life overhaul. It's about taking small, intentional steps, "moving a little bit beyond your comfort zone."
Explore those whispers of intuition, those longings you might have tucked away. Small steps, big impact. This is about honoring your individuality and creating a life that truly reflects who you are.
Journaling Prompts for Embracing Your Unique Path:
What makes me truly unique and different from others? (Focus on your unique gifts, talents, perspectives, and experiences.)
How can I embrace my individuality and live authentically? (Consider how you can express your unique self in your daily life, relationships, and career.)
What are some of the unconventional paths I could explore? (Challenge yourself to think outside the box and consider possibilities that might not fit traditional expectations.)
What are your chosen areas of Mastery? (Consider what you truly want to excel at, whether it's a specific skill, a personal quality, or a way of being.)
What roles or old patterns are you willing to break in to live a more authentic life? (Identify and release any limiting beliefs or behaviors that are holding you back.)
What are your most deeply authentic desires, and how can you align your actions with them? (Connect your actions to your core desired feelings to ensure they are truly fulfilling.)
How can you cultivate self-discipline in a way that feels empowering rather than restrictive? (Focus on setting realistic and achievable goals that support your overall well-being.)
What feelings do you truly want to experience in your life? (Identify your core desired feelings and align your actions accordingly.)
How do you envision yourself 5 years from now? (Create a vivid picture of your ideal future, considering all aspects of your life.)
What are your top three long-term goals? (Break down one of these goals into three to five smaller, more manageable steps and identify the first step you can take today.)
Action Steps:
Identify one small step you can take today to embrace your individuality. This could be something as simple as wearing something that expresses your unique style, trying a new hobby, or having a conversation that you might normally avoid.
Start to explore one of the "unconventional paths" you identified in the journaling prompts.
Begin to incorporate self-compassion into your daily routine. Acknowledge your efforts, celebrate your successes, and offer yourself kindness during challenging times.
Tarot Spreads for Self-Reflection
Shadow Work Tarot Spread:
What are the shadow aspects that might be hindering my progress?
How can I acknowledge and integrate these shadow aspects?
What are the benefits of embracing my shadow self?
How can I use shadow work to break free from limiting patterns?
What guidance will support me as I illuminate my shadow self?
Soul Alignment Spread
What core desired feelings are being ignited at this time?
How does my authentic self shine through in my natural strengths and talents?
What is blocking me from experiencing a more fully, aligned life with my values, and expressing my authentic self?
What steps can I take to cultivate these feelings in my daily life, better align my actions with my values, and break free from societal expectations?
What is the potential outcome if I successfully integrate these aspects of myself?
Inner Wisdom Spread:
What is my inner wisdom trying to tell me about my current path?
How can I better connect with my intuition and my inner guidance?
What actions can I take to live more authentically and in alignment with my inner wisdom?
Remember: This is a journey of self-discovery, and there is no single "right" path. Trust your intuition, listen to your inner wisdom, and be gentle with yourself along the way. Embrace the unique beauty of your own journey and the incredible potential that lies within you.
Disclaimer:
This information is for general knowledge and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or professional advice.
New to breathwork but not sure where to start? My online or in-person breathwork sessions provide a safe and supportive environment to help you clarify areas you're struggling with, highlight what's draining your energy, recharge, or breathe out stuck emotions, click below to book a session with me..
Want to explore more ways to harness the power your self discovery? That's exactly what you'll get when you join the Soul Shift Breathwork Membership.
In it you'll get:
Monthly tarot readings to gain insights and clarity
Eclipse, new moon, and full moon oracle spreads for deeper connection to your inner wisdom
Journaling workbooks to explore your thoughts and emotions
Live group breathwork classes (in-person and online) to release tension and promote healing
For just a fraction of the cost of a Target run, you can unlock:
Increased peace and tranquility
Renewed clarity and focus
Regular access to tarot readings and breathwork
Deep healing and connection to your soul
Final Thoughts
This journey of self-discovery is a deeply personal one. There is no right or wrong way to approach it. Trust your intuition, listen to your inner wisdom, and be gentle with yourself along the way. Remember to celebrate your progress, big or small, and to embrace the imperfections that make you uniquely you.
This is an ongoing process, a continuous unfolding. Allow yourself the space and grace to evolve and grow. Embrace the journey, and enjoy the ride! This is powerful opportunity for personal growth and healing. By tapping into your transformative energy and using techniques such as breathwork, meditation, journaling, and tarot , you can release trauma, clear stuck emotions, and create space for positive change in your life.
Remember, healing is a journey, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Experiment with different techniques and find what resonates with you. The most important thing is to be patient, compassionate, and committed to your own well-being.
I always love hearing from you, so let me know how it resonated with you. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
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Above all, I hope you can honor yourself. And as always, remember to breathe deeply, connect consciously, and thrive wholeheartedly!
Sending lots of love & light,
Francisca Hernandez
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