Glass Ceiling – Def. an unofficially acknowledged barrier to advancement in a profession, especially affecting women and members of minorities.

Reading this definition made me remember all of the times I was professionally passed over because of my sex or my age. “An unofficially acknowledged barrier to advancement…” The countless hours I spent frustrated, angry, disappointed. I knew I was valuable to them, that I did good work, and that my performance reviews were exceptional. It was comfortable for me to be able to rest on my laurels and play the blame game. It’s easy to do when you’ve been treated the way countless other women and minorities have been passed over for promotions simply for who we are.

Crack the Ceiling

There is no denying we have more cracks to make in that ceiling but unsatisfied with this idea that I had zero control over my situation I began taking a look at my attitude about myself. Did I really feel like I deserved the promotion? Did I have too much self-doubt about whether or not I was qualified? If this advancement was going to make me happier does that mean I should be the one to get it? Did I even deserve to be happy?

My mind was in a tailspin. Where was all of this negative thinking coming from? Whether or not my self-esteem had suffered in my professional life or my entire life didn’t matter. I was struggling with it now and it was having an effect on my belief in myself as a strong, capable, qualified professional. My internal glass ceiling needed a heavy hit with a baseball bat.

Shadow Adjustment

If you are struggling with negative internal thoughts about any aspect of your life, it’s time or a shadow “adjustment.” Understanding what you want (as opposed to what you don’t want) and simultaneously understanding what negative thoughts and blocks keep you from achieving your goals and dreams, is the key that opens the door to your life.

We all have these internal voices, but understanding where they’re coming from and then taking action to move through them can liberate us in incredible ways. The inner critic “attacks and undermines you to protect you from the shame of failure”, says Psychology Today magazine. The thing is this critic can still drive us, but out of fear rather than inspiration. Is that how I want to move through my life?

Make room for joy

Shadow Work® doesn’t get rid of these thoughts altogether. We are human, after all. What it does is dim the noise of those voices that keep us from our authentically rich and wonderful selves. The aim is that they are hung out on the periphery of our minds rather than screaming in our ears throughout the day. Shadow work gives us the tools to notice them as they approach and turn down the volume of our attention to them. Once we can do that, we make more room in our heads and hearts for important work – the actions we must take in order to fulfill our dreams, achieve our desires, and, deservedly – be happier!

Schedule a free call to see if it is time for a shadow adjustment