It may sound sinister, but in this case, the "shadow" is simply facets of your personality
that you are unaware of – the unknown you. Knowing your shadow entails investigating
those hidden aspects of yourself in order to bring them into the light of consciousness.
It's one of the most effective kinds of personal development for a number of reasons.
Because it is the most uncomfortable part of yourself to actively accept,
the shadow usually represents your dark side. However, whether you recognize it or not,
your shadow influences your behavior, which is fundamentally opposed to the reasoned,
conscious decision-making that INTJs value. Knowing your shadow allows you to merge your
unconscious and conscious selves, giving you the ability to influence your life.
Even more intriguing is the possibility that your shadow contains valuable, untapped qualities.
Some unconscious characteristics of your personality may be beneficial,
while others might be utilized. Knowing your shadow can help you realize your full potential.
Some components of your personality may remain hidden not because they
are difficult to confront, but because you have not decided to seek them out.
That's why in today's video we are going to Explore The INTJs'
Shadow & How It Can Actually Benefit You. This is often extremely overlooked, so make sure to
watch until the end of today's video so you know how you can use your shadow to your benefit.
Let's get into it
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The most significant aspect of knowing your shadow is that it can make you feel
more comfortable in your own skin. Suppressing aspects of yourself is unpleasant and unhealthy,
especially if you hide from them because you are afraid they will make you a bad
or undeserving person. It's not always easy to confront your darker sides, but Self-awareness
provides considerably more strength and security than denial or self-criticism.
You are who you are, and knowing who you are is the first step toward becoming your best self.
Do you dare to shake hands with your shadow? Of course, you do. You are, after all, an INTJ.
INTJs value objectivity and impartial analysis,
and applying these ideals to knowing your shadow make it easier. It's critical to realize that your
shadow characteristics aren't always good or evil — they simply have an influence.
INTJs are well-suited to detecting shadow characteristics in their surroundings.
They're well aware of the human soul's hypocrisies
and frailties, and they can see beyond pleasant surface veneers to the reasons
beneath. They are more willing than most people to confront humanity's darker side.
[1] Schadenfreude Is The First Aspect Of An INTJs Shadow.
Enjoying other people's suffering is typically unconscious, something we try to avoid because
we believe we shouldn't feel that way. INTJs may intentionally interpret others'
suffering as warranted, partly to excuse their unempathetic or critical response: You know,
“You play stupid games, win stupid prizes." However, one part of INTJ personalities that
they are not usually aware of is how much they like it when someone "gets what they deserve."
That is a very common feeling, and it does not make you a horrible person. However,
I will say that it is a much more likely response among those who are insecure.
Some INTJs may feel threatened by the talent, prestige, or fortune of others,
and When those people are knocked down, they appear less of a threat.
Schadenfreude could simply be a symptom of a deeper insecurity that you can work on. While this
shadow feature may not be very useful in and of itself, Examining it may lead you to greater inner
strength and confidence. That is a really helpful channel for your personal development endeavors,
and your darker inclinations can serve as guidance for your growth.
[2] Another Aspect Of An INTJs Shadow Is Critical Perfectionism
INTJs are well-known for their passion for deconstructing, analyzing, and optimizing
things. However, When they do not appropriately appreciate positives, it can be destructive - you
may fail to validate people you care about and be too hard on yourself. Negativity bias has a role,
and because it is often unconscious, it can be considered the shadow. But it's
more than that – it can be difficult for an INTJ type to feel genuine gratitude.
Perhaps it's because they're unconsciously worried of mediocrity – Anything less than
perfection feels like failure to them, therefore they won't approve of it. The shadow of an INTJ
may contain a loathing of averageness as well as a critical inner voice that
devalues effort in favor of seemingly perfect results. However, in the external world,
Perfection is usually the enemy of progress. Knowing your shadow could be useful here by
confronting that harsh inner critic and asking, "Are such high ideals realistic?"
Unconscious perfectionism can be a powerful motivator, but so can actively appreciating
achievement in any form, including incremental progress or tiny changes. Perfectionism and
reality perform best when together, each tempering the other - much like you and your shadow.
Facing that harsh shadow critic can assist you in gaining a more balanced perspective on your
abilities and accomplishments, which typically accelerates your progress.
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[3] Emotional Reserve Is The Next Part of an INTJ's Shadow that you should be aware of.
In comparison to most personality types, INTJs aren't recognized for being warm and cuddly.
Your reasons for being emotionally reserved may be absolutely reasonable,
and it is entirely up to you how you conduct emotional connections with others.
However, Some of your justifications are likely the result of shadow characteristics
and should be explored to ensure that you're actually at peace with yourself.
Exploring your unconscious emotional responses can help you understand your shadow, especially
if you experience discomfort or dislike when confronted with intense emotions in yourself or
others. You may be afraid of emotional closeness because you have an unconscious belief that you
are unworthy of love, or because you are afraid of rejection or failure. And you
could avoid offering or seeking emotional support because you're confused about how to go about it.
However, Just because you understand how you experience and express emotion
is useful doesn't mean you have to change. Simply observing how you function and the
cause-and-effect patterns of your behavior can lead to significant growth. You may come
to the conclusion that expressing your emotions more openly will strengthen your relationships.
Or maybe not. The most intriguing argument for INTJs to understand their shadow
in this area is that emotional self-awareness tends to improve emotional self-control.
[4] One Shadow Aspect INTJs Need To Be Aware Of Is Having Frustrated Principles
Few personality types can equal an INTJ's frustration with the world and its flaws.
When you want to imagine huge possibilities, it's difficult not to be dissatisfied by
everything that's wrong in the world. Conscious displays of such thoughts, such as anger,
might be very unpleasant, but what you may not understand is That they can come from some high
aspirations hidden behind that fury. Your shadow isn't always sinister or bad for you.
Bitterness is typically the result of unrealized hope, while frustration is the result of a
profound sense of compassion. Feeling cynical on a conscious level may be motivated by underlying
empathy, optimism, and compassion in your shadow — traits that you may not always
recognize in yourself. Exploring why you care so much about what you perceive to be wrong,
on the other hand, might put you in touch with some of your greatest virtues.
Your guiding principles may be more empathetic than you realize. You may instinctively avoid
empathizing with the world's pain because it is painful, yet you may be deeply committed to
resolving those problems. Exploring the inner impulses that drive your exterior intensity
might help you alter your perception of yourself and your place in the world.
INTJ personalities shine brightest when they are involved in the creation of something amazing.
[5] All INTJs Must Also Remember To Set Judgment Aside
One of the primary reasons we have a shadow is that we believe some of our natural thoughts and
feelings are bad. Most of this is due to cultural conditioning that misunderstands human nature,
and some is due to your own values — we don't want to confront what appear to be shortcomings.
But, like an undiscovered illness, ignorance of yourself tends to escalate the problem.
Self-acceptance might be difficult, but thinking of it as a lifetime practice rather than a
goalpost can help. INTJs have active, critical minds and are constantly questioning things,
including themselves – which is a good thing. However, fooling yourself because you are
unwilling to face the genuine answers to those questions is worse than not asking them at all.
To find the answers lurking in your shadow, It's important to withhold judgment and simply observe,
as a real scientist would.
The more you understand, the more genuine your perspective and the better your life
decisions will be. Exploring your shadow may test your ego or expose unpleasant truths,
but try to be objective and simply accept what you find before determining what to do with it.
You're probably much better than you assume you are.
Do you recognize these aspects of your INTJ shadow in yourself?
Tell me your experiences and stories in the comment below.
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