You may be surprised by the identities of your fellow travelers. By travelers, I mean the parts of yourself that go everywhere with you.
If you are like me, you might prefer only to acknowledge the “good” parts. But, as I have learned through the New Warrior Training Adventure and sitting in an MKP IGroup, being aware of all of my parts, personas, my mature and my immature aspects allows me to show up authentically and powerfully.
A book that you may want to check out is The Upside of Your Dark Side by Todd Kashdan, Ph.D., and Robert Biswas-Diener, Dr. Philos.
Here’s an exercise to help you discover some of your parts that may be in shadow. We’re going to go on a journey and then journal about the people we meet.
Prepare by:
Grabbing a notebook or journal, finding a comfortable place to sit, and put on some relaxing music. If you need some help finding relaxing, meditative music you can use this link http://bit.ly/relax_meditate
Read this exercise and then take yourself on a guided journey.
As you relax, see yourself walking. Notice where you are and what’s around you. Take all the time you need. As you continue walking you’ll come to a road, or a street, or a wide path where you will pause.
Notice a vehicle approaching. It’s a bus that stops for you. The doors open and you get on. It’s full of fellow travelers – they are all different. Some may look like they don’t belong. Others will welcome you. A few may scare you, but no harm will come to you. Each traveler has a message for you.
As you walk down the aisle, notice each person. Really see them.
Ask them their name.
Remember what they look like and what they are wearing. Notice your judgments and the stories you make up about them.
Remember the judgments they have about you and you have about yourself.
You will see both positive and negative qualities about each person on the bus, including yourself.
Ask each person on the bus:
- How do they protect themselves? From what are they defending themselves? What makes them afraid?
- What brings them joy and fulfillment?
- What are their gifts? Their strengths?
- What message do they have for you?
Time to journal.
Take time to write down the answers to the questions you asked, the messages you received, and the things you noticed.
Remember, you can summon the bus at any time. You can talk to each person and then journal or talk with everyone before you journal. And you can get back too if you want to ask more questions.
Each person on the bus is a fellow traveler – a part of you. Some, you may like more than others. Some may scare you in some way. Some you will judge as “good,” some you will judge as “dark” or “bad.”
The point is to become more familiar with all of you. Each part of you has a gift, and the sum of all your gifts is what makes you unique.
Live a Bold and Authentic Life
Wishing you Happy Holidays and Joyful New Year
Matt
