Kristan Sargeant joins us to explore shadow work, the parts of ourselves we’ve learned to hide, and how they can keep us from going after what we want.

You want to speak up, set a boundary, ask someone out or take a chance on something you care about. But then you imagine how it could go wrong, and talk yourself out of it. A coach who studied under Phil Stutz, Kristan explains how she works with the shame and fear of rejection underneath those moments.

We get into why understanding your patterns doesn’t automatically change them, how needing everyone’s approval can quietly run your life, and what it means to stay on your own side even when things don’t go your way. She also shares practical exercises for getting to know your shadow and comparing what you’re afraid will happen with what actually happens when you take a risk.

If you’ve ever known what you wanted to do and still couldn’t bring yourself to do it, this one is for you.

00:00 intro to shadow work tools
03:41 shadow work starts with self-acceptance
10:08 hidden shame can drive behavior
20:08 your triggers reveal your shadow
26:29 others’ expectations can shape your life
36:37 shadow work supports taking risks