“Your Daily Dose” is a quick two minute read packed with bite-sized wisdom from all the great teachers. But you could also choose to turn it into something more… a powerful daily practice for personal growth. Give it a try!
A message from today’s meditation:
For a moment let’s talk about “self-sabotage”.
The nature of my work requires regular conversations about this topic which I think is an unfortunate label. The term self-sabotage means that a person is deliberately getting in their own way. That there is a part of their personality that doesn’t want them to be successful, and deliberately prevents them from taking the actions that would move them closer to their goals. As in, “you are the one sabotaging your own happiness!” In my experience this creates only more shame, more guilt, more hopelessness, and hardly ever leads to improvement in any form of wellbeing.
I completely disagree with this terminology, however, it is important for us to understand how it is that we DO get in our own way.
Nothing within us, WANTS to sabotage our future. But we all have old behaviour that did in fact help us “feel safe” in the past. And to our subconscious (which is wired for survival) anything that has created a sense of safety is regarded as successful for survival. While objectively, that old behaviour doesn’t serve us right now, “successful” patterns of the past will be played on repeat in an attempt to find safety again.
So not self-sabotage, but self-preservation that needs to evolve.
“Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness’s of other people… One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious… The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely… Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – Carl Jung
“Real liberation comes not from glossing over or repressing painful states of feeling, but only from experiencing them to the full.” – Carl Jung
“Wholeness is not achieved by cutting off a portion of one’s being, but by integration of the contraries.” – Carl Jung
“In every adult there lurks a child – an eternal child, something that is always becoming, is never completed, and calls for unceasing care, attention, and education. That is the part of the personality which wants to develop and become whole.” – Carl Jung
The practical result of “bringing into the light the aspects of our SELF that were previously held in darkness” is this… now that we’re not hiding and trying to look away, we can see with some clarity exactly how an old part of us is just trying to find safety. And now that we’re not at war with our SELF, we can effectively help a trapped inner child to evolve.
So on the topic of self-sabotage – remember that what appears to be you standing in your own way is actually an old part of you trying to keep you safe. This isn’t about a personality defect that needs to be eliminated or a destructive force that must be conquered. It’s about self-preservation that needs to evolve. True transformation happens not through cutting away the parts of ourselves we judge as problematic, but through the courageous integration of the opposites – bringing together the part that fears and the part that dares, the child who learned to survive and the adult who is learning to thrive. When we stop fighting ourselves and start understanding ourselves, we discover that the path to wholeness was never about choosing between light and shadow, but about embracing both with equal compassion.
On your journey of of building a deeper sense of SELF, consider these guiding mantras:
- Embrace Your Shadows: “I acknowledge and accept all aspects of myself, both light and dark.”
- Listen to Your Inner Child: “I pay attention to my emotions and needs, treating myself with the kindness and compassion I deserved all along.”
- Cultivate Self-Awareness: “I practice mindfulness and introspection to gain deeper insights into my thoughts and behaviors without judgment.”
- Embrace Change: “I remain open to new experiences and perspectives, understanding that growth requires stepping beyond the familiar.”
Join us for today’s journey, allow your inner child to speak, and find out who you are being when you’re able to sit and listen. By understanding the root causes of emotions we can begin to shift our perspective, and Instead of berating ourselves for our failures, we can approach them with compassion and understanding. We can learn to offer ourselves the love and support needed to heal old wounds and cultivate a more empowered sense of self.
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: A sense of self.
Today’s LIVE meditation
https://youtu.be/QHx93PXQu1g 2025
https://youtu.be/gybTEbC4rV0 2024
https://youtu.be/4NLq6pWZSAk 2023
https://youtu.be/5eILQAgYK5k 2022
Practice the “Daily Dose”
Let’s put it into practice! Choose what works for you – daily, once a week or whenever inspiration strikes. Putting pen to paper wires the neural pathways that will create your new habits.
1 – Affirmation
Write down your favourite affirmation on a sticky note and place it somewhere that you’ll be able to see it the whole day.
- Embrace Your Shadows: “I acknowledge and accept all aspects of myself, both light and dark.”
- Listen to Your Inner Child: “I pay attention to my emotions and needs, treating myself with the kindness and compassion I deserved all along.”
- Cultivate Self-Awareness: “I practice mindfulness and introspection to gain deeper insights into my thoughts and behaviors without judgment.”
- Embrace Change: “I remain open to new experiences and perspectives, understanding that growth requires stepping beyond the familiar.”
2 – A moment of reflection
Use today’s question as a journal prompt. If you don’t have the time to sit down and write, just take a moment to reflect on your response.
Recognizing Your Protective Patterns: Think of a recent situation where you felt like you “got in your own way.” Instead of labeling it as self-sabotage, explore what you might have been protecting yourself from. What did that behavior keep you safe from in the past? What need was it trying to meet?
3 – Quotes to share
Send a quote to someone who needs it, or share them all on social media to spread the good vibes!
4 – Q&A for deeper learning
Read through the questions and answers and write down at least one “aha moment” that clicked for you.
Q1: What’s the difference between self-sabotage and self-preservation?
A: Self-sabotage implies deliberate destruction—that a part of you wants you to fail. Self-preservation recognizes that behaviors we label as “sabotage” are actually outdated survival strategies that once kept us safe. Your subconscious isn’t working against you; it’s trying to protect you using tools that no longer fit your current reality.
Q2: Why do I keep repeating the same destructive patterns even when I know better?
A: Your subconscious mind prioritizes survival over progress. Patterns that created a sense of safety in the past are stored as “successful” strategies. Even when your conscious mind recognizes these behaviors don’t serve you anymore, your survival system defaults to what’s familiar because it once worked. Start with compassion, not willpower.
Q3: How can I actually change these patterns instead of just understanding them?
A: Change begins with ending the war within yourself. When you stop fighting against these patterns and instead get curious about what they’re protecting, you can address the underlying need directly. Acknowledge the old behavior, thank it for keeping you safe, and consciously introduce new strategies that meet the same need in healthier ways. This is evolution, not elimination.
Q4: What does it mean to “embrace your shadows”?
A: Embracing your shadows means acknowledging the parts of yourself you’ve hidden, rejected, or denied—your fears, your pain, your perceived flaws. These aspects don’t disappear when ignored; they operate unconsciously and often manifest as the very patterns we want to change. Bringing them into conscious awareness with compassion allows for integration and healing.
Q5: How do I know if I’m listening to my inner child or just making excuses?
A: Listening to your inner child feels like compassionate curiosity—”What do I need right now? What am I afraid of?” Making excuses feels like avoidance dressed up as justification. The difference is in the energy: one moves toward understanding and healing, the other moves away from responsibility and growth. True self-compassion creates space for both validation and evolution.
Q6: Why is self-awareness so important for personal growth?
A: You cannot change what you cannot see. Self-awareness illuminates the unconscious patterns running your life, giving you the power to choose differently. Without it, you’re operating on autopilot, repeating old programs. With it, you become an active participant in your own transformation, able to discern between reactions rooted in past trauma and responses aligned with your current truth.
Q7: This all sounds great, but how do I actually start this work?
A: Start with simple observation without judgment. Notice when you pull back from opportunities or repeat familiar patterns. Instead of criticizing yourself, get curious: “What am I protecting myself from right now?” Practice sitting with uncomfortable emotions rather than immediately trying to fix or suppress them. Consider working with a therapist, meditation practice, or journaling to create safe space for self-exploration. Remember, this is a journey of integration, not a race to perfection.