Carl Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist who believed that the human mind has two
layers - the conscious, which is everything we’re aware of, and the unconscious,
which holds the thoughts, emotions, and memories we’ve pushed out of awareness.
And deep within that unconscious lies what Jung called the shadow - the hidden side of ourselves.
We suppress these parts because, at some point, we learned they weren’t acceptable.
Maybe we were told to stay quiet, to be “good,” or to hide our emotions - so we
buried whatever didn’t seem to fit. But Jung believed that if we truly
want to understand who we are, we have to stop running from those
hidden parts and start listening to them. Because here’s the thing - your shadow
isn’t just the darkness you try to hide. It also carries your unlived potential:
your creativity, your voice, your courage, your power - and often, the clues to your real calling.
Jung’s philosophy is often referred to as “Jungian Philosophy”. He has also published multiple books
like The Psychology of the Unconscious, Man and His Symbols, The Archetypes and The Collective
Unconscious, Modern Man In Search of a Soul, The Psychology of the Transference, Memories,
Dreams, and Thoughts, and The Relations Between the Ego and the Unconscious. In this video,
we’re going to explore 7 shadow clues that reveal your true calling.
1. Feeling Stuck, Numb, or Disconnected Jungs says “There is no coming to consciousness
without pain. People will do anything, no matter how absurd, to avoid facing their own soul.”
Sometimes life moves forward, but the heart stays still. Everything looks fine on the surface - the
job, the routine, the conversations - yet something feels flat. It’s not laziness
or lack of drive; it’s a quiet signal that something deeper inside isn’t being lived.
Jung believed that this emptiness appears when there’s a gap between who we are and how we’re
living. When daily life no longer reflects our truth, the psyche starts to pull back its energy.
What feels like resistance or fatigue is often the inner self saying, “This no longer fits.”
The shadow - the part of us that holds what we’ve hidden or denied - begins to stir at these times.
As mentioned, it doesn’t only carry our fears or pain; it also holds the best parts of us
we’ve left behind. The confidence, creativity, curiosity, and joy that once came naturally can
end up buried right beside our insecurities. This happens quietly as we grow. As children,
we express ourselves freely — we laugh loudly, ask questions, create, and dream without thinking
twice. Then, we start to learn which parts of us are welcomed and which ones are not.
The curious child is told to stop asking so many questions.
The expressive one is told not to make a scene. The sensitive one is told to toughen up.
To stay safe and accepted, we begin to hide those natural qualities. The outspoken one becomes
careful. The dreamer becomes practical. The gentle one becomes guarded. Bit by bit, our light is
tucked away — not because it’s wrong, but because at some point, it didn’t feel safe to show.
But what’s buried doesn’t disappear. Those parts wait quietly beneath the surface,
calling out through the very feelings we try to avoid - boredom, restlessness,
or the nagging sense that something’s missing even when life looks “fine.”
Sometimes it shows up as an ache for something more. Maybe it’s the pull toward an old hobby,
a thought that keeps returning, or a dream that never quite fades. These are not distractions;
they’re messages from the shadow, reminding us of what still wants to live through us.
For instance, someone who once loved storytelling might have given it up because
it didn’t seem practical. Years later, they find themselves deeply moved by a book or film,
feeling both inspired and a little sad. That feeling isn’t emptiness - it’s their
own creative spirit asking to be remembered. Another person may have learned to stay quiet to
keep the peace, only to feel invisible later on. The discomfort that rises when others speak boldly
isn’t resentment - it’s a reminder that their own voice is still there, waiting to be used.
These signs are gentle invitations to reconnect. It starts with small steps. Write a few lines.
Sing again. Share one honest thought. Take one small action that feels true. Each act
gives the hidden parts more space to breathe. When we begin to reclaim those parts, life starts
to move again. The dullness lifts, energy returns, and things begin to feel real. Jung called this
process individuation - becoming whole by bringing every part of ourselves into the light. The gifts
we hide in the shadow aren’t lost; they’ve simply been waiting for us to notice them.
2. Strong Reaction to Someone Else’s Behaviour
According to Jung, “Everything that irritates us about others
can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”
Think about the last time someone really bothered you. Maybe it was a coworker who
kept talking about their success, a friend who seemed effortlessly confident, or someone
online whose achievements made you feel uneasy. That flash of irritation, envy, or discomfort
isn’t random - it’s your shadow speaking. When someone’s behaviour triggers a strong
emotion, it’s often not about them. It’s a mirror reflecting something within you
that you haven’t fully accepted. Jung called this projection - when we unconsciously see in others
the very traits we’ve disowned in ourselves. These mirrors are everywhere - in our workplaces,
relationships, and social media feeds. You might see someone speaking boldly and think,
“They’re so arrogant,” when deep down you wish you had that same courage. Or someone taking
risks and you think, “That’s reckless,” while part of you longs for more freedom.
And projection isn’t always about what irritates us - it can also show
up as deep admiration. When you’re inspired by someone’s creativity, kindness, or confidence,
you might be seeing a glimpse of your own shadow. The people who trigger us, whether through envy
or admiration, often reveal the qualities we need to develop to become more whole.
These reactions are invitations to grow. So the next time someone stirs
a strong feeling in you, pause before reacting.
Ask yourself: What is this emotion showing me about myself? Could the very trait I’m
judging - or admiring - be something I need to embrace to move closer to my real calling?
Your irritation or admiration isn’t the problem; it’s a message. Follow it,
and it may lead you straight to the part of yourself that’s been waiting to come alive.
3. Repeating Patterns or Failures Jung writes “Until you make the
unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”
Have you ever noticed how the same kinds of situations keep showing up in your life?
You change jobs, but end up feeling undervalued again. You meet new people,
but somehow the same relationship issues repeat. Or maybe you set new goals,
only to lose motivation halfway through - just like before.
When these things happen over and over, it’s easy to feel unlucky, or to think life is just unfair.
But Jung believed that repeating patterns are not random. The patterns that keep repeating are your
shadow at work trying to get your attention. When certain fears, needs, or truths about
ourselves are ignored, they don’t disappear - they simply show up again through the people and events
in our lives. It’s like life keeps giving the same test until the lesson is finally learned.
If someone keeps ending up in jobs where they feel unseen, it might be life’s way
of asking them to look at why they doubt their own worth. If relationships often feel one-sided,
maybe there’s a part of them that still struggles to value themselves. The idea
that these patterns don’t mean anything is wrong; they’re gentle reminders that
something important inside wants to be noticed. Imagine a person who changes jobs again and again,
hoping the next one will finally bring appreciation. But every time, the same
thing happens - feeling ignored or unimportant. One day, instead of blaming the workplace,
they pause and ask, “Why does this keep happening?” Then they notice the pattern:
they often stay quiet, avoid speaking up, and hold back ideas out of fear of being judged.
With that simple moment of awareness, they begin to act differently - saying one idea out loud,
asking for what they need, showing up more fully. It feels uncomfortable at first, but over time,
they start to feel more confident and less dependent on others for validation. The outer
world begins to reflect the inner change. So instead of asking, “Why does this always
happen to me?” it helps to ask, “What is this trying to show me?” Jung believed that that's
how patterns break. Once the lesson is understood, life doesn’t need to repeat
it. New experiences begin to appear. Different kinds of people come in. Work and relationships
start to feel lighter and more meaningful. This is how life stops repeating and starts evolving.
4. Messages from the Dreams In the words of Jung “The dream
is the small hidden door in the deepest and most intimate sanctum of the soul.”
Jung believed that our dreams are messages from the unconscious - quiet,
symbolic ways our deeper self tries to reach us when our waking mind is too busy to listen.
During the day, we’re caught up in logic, plans, and responsibilities. But at night,
when the conscious mind relaxes, the parts of us we’ve ignored finally get a chance to speak.
Dreams often feel strange or emotional because they speak in symbols, not in literal events.
It’s your psyche speaking in its own language showing us what we haven’t been paying attention
to. When life feels out of balance - when there’s a sense of being stuck, restless,
or disconnected - the unconscious often shows that through images in dreams. You may dream of
being trapped in a small room, lost in a maze, or missing a train. Such dreams usually mirror
inner feelings of limitation, confusion, or fear of missing an important opportunity.
Sometimes dreams reveal what we’ve pushed down. You might dream about someone you’re angry with
but can’t confront in real life. Or about a version of yourself that feels more confident,
creative, or free - the kind of person you secretly wish you could be. Jung believed
those versions of you in dreams aren’t just fantasies - they’re real parts of your psyche,
waiting to be integrated into your waking life. Consider a simple example. Someone might be
working hard at a job that covers the bills but no longer feels fulfilling. Night after night, a
dream appears 0 their dreams follow the same theme - standing on a stage, ready to speak or perform,
but no sound comes out. Looked at closely, this dream could be showing that this person has
silenced their own voice in waking life. A part of them may want to express something meaningful,
yet fear or practicality has convinced them it isn’t possible. The dream isn’t predicting what
will happen; it’s revealing what is already true. A dream about speaking could suggest a calling
toward communication or leadership. Dreams of painting, flying, or exploring might
reflect a creative or adventurous side waiting to be lived. But dreams don’t
have to be analyzed in complicated ways. You can start simply. When you wake up,
take a moment to notice how the dream felt and note any details that stand out - an image,
a color, a word, a symbol. Over time, patterns start to appear, often reflecting the same hopes,
struggles, and questions found in everyday life. Jung saw dreams as a conversation between the
conscious mind and the deeper self. The more attention they receive, the clearer
that dialogue becomes, and the guidance that once felt mysterious starts to feel personal and real.
5. Stories, Movies, or Characters You’re Drawn To To quote Jung “Archetypes are the living system
of reactions and aptitudes that determine the individual’s life in invisible ways.”
Jung believed that deep inside everyone are patterns that shape who we are — he called them
archetypes. These are universal roles that exist in all people, no matter where or when they live.
The archetypes like the Creator, the Healer, the Teacher, the Explorer,
the Rebel, the Caregiver, the Warrior — each one represents a different expression of human
potential. Some of these come naturally to us, while others stay quiet in the background.
According to Jung, a person’s true calling often shows through the archetypes trying to
come alive within — especially the ones that have been ignored or pushed aside.
Those hidden archetypes live in the shadow. Think of someone who has spent most of life
being responsible and practical — always focused on stability. That’s the Ruler or
Caregiver archetype at work. But deep down, there may also be a longing for creativity,
freedom, or adventure. That could be the Creator or Explorer waiting for space to
express itself. When that side stays buried, life can begin to feel dull or repetitive, even if
everything looks fine on the surface. Once it’s allowed to express itself, even in small ways,
life starts to feel more meaningful and alive. You can start recognizing your archetypes
by simply paying attention to your natural patterns and preferences. Notice what kinds
of stories, movies, or people inspire you - they often mirror an archetype within you. If you’re
drawn to tales of courage and adventure, your Explorer may be calling. If you admire people
who create or build, your Creator might be asking for attention. You can also look at
your recurring challenges. If you often care for others but struggle to set boundaries,
your Caregiver is strong, but your Warrior might need space to grow. Even your daydreams
and fantasies can reveal which energies are most alive - the roles you imagine yourself in often
point to what’s waiting to be expressed. To explore this, start by noticing which
archetypes feel natural and which ones you tend to avoid. Think about the stories, people,
or symbols that inspire you — and what they bring up inside you. You may realize that the
purpose or direction you’ve been looking for isn’t out in the world, but within yourself.
It’s been there all along, waiting for you to notice the patterns guiding you.
6. When Life Mirrors Your Inner World
Jung teaches us that… “Synchronicity is an ever-present reality for
those who have eyes to see.” Jung used the word synchronicity
to describe those moments in life that feel too perfectly timed to be random.
It’s when something in the outside world connects directly with what’s happening
inside you — a thought, a feeling, or a decision you’ve been quietly holding.
You think about someone you haven’t spoken to in years, and they suddenly reach out.
You start considering a new direction in life, and out of nowhere, you come across a book, video,
or conversation about that exact thing. It feels like life is reflecting
something back to you. But Jung didn’t see these
moments as mere coincidences. He believed they were signs that your inner and outer worlds were
starting to align. This isn’t about fate, or ‘destiny’ - this isn’t some mysterious outside
force - Instead, as a human being, hard-wired to see patterns EVERYWHERE, when you become
more aware of what’s happening inside — your thoughts, emotions, and desires - you begin
to notice how the world responds to that awareness in small but meaningful ways.
Here’s an example. Imagine you’ve been quietly unhappy in your job, but you keep avoiding the
thought of change because it feels too uncertain. One day, you overhear a conversation about someone
who left their job to start something new. Later that week, you meet someone doing the
kind of work you’ve always been interested in. You could call it coincidence - but Jung would
say it’s your unconscious communicating through outer events, showing you what
you’ve been too afraid to face directly. Synchronicities often appear when you’re
at a turning point - when you’re beginning to look at yourself more honestly or are
ready to take a step toward something new. They’re not random signs to follow blindly,
but quiet reminders that we’re paying attention. When something like this happens, instead of
brushing it off, just pause, and ask yourself: What was I thinking or feeling just before this
happened? Why does this moment stand out to me? You might not get an answer right away,
but noticing the connection is enough. Synchronicity reminds us that we’re not
separate from life - we’re part of a constant conversation with it. And when those meaningful
moments start to appear, it often means we’re beginning to move closer to our true path.
7. Self-Sabotage and Avoidance In our final quote from Jung for this video,
he simply says “What you resist, persists.” Jung believed that the closer we get to who
we truly are, the stronger our inner resistance becomes. It’s one of the
paradoxes of growth - the moment you start moving toward your calling, the shadow often pushes back.
You might notice this as procrastination, distraction, or self-doubt that appears right when
you’re about to do something meaningful. Maybe you finally decide to start writing, but suddenly,
everything feels more urgent - the dishes, your emails, your phone. Or you get an opportunity
that excites you, and instead of saying yes, you start overthinking, second-guessing,
or convincing yourself you’re not ready yet. Jung saw this self-sabotage not as weakness,
but as a form of inner protection - a way the psyche tries to keep you safe from change.
The shadow carries all the parts of you that fear rejection, failure, or being seen. So
when you start doing something that brings you closer to your potential, those buried
fears come alive. Your mind finds subtle ways to pull you back - not because it wants you to fail,
but because it believes it’s keeping you safe. But here’s the truth: safety and growth can’t
exist in the same space. To step into your real calling, you have to walk through that
discomfort, and show the shadow that it’s okay to outgrow your old limits.
Imagine you’ve been wanting to share your art or start a small business.
You gather your ideas, feel excited for a while - then the doubts start. What if no one cares?
What if I’m not good enough? What if I fail? And so, you pause. You wait for a “better
time.” Weeks or months pass. That spark dulls. But that hesitation isn’t proof that you’re on
the wrong path - it’s a sign that you’re getting close to something important. The shadow resists
most when you’re near the threshold of change. So when you notice yourself avoiding the very thing
you say you want, pause and ask, “What am I really afraid will happen if I follow through?” Maybe
it’s the fear of being judged, of losing approval, or of realising that you’re entirely capable of
achieving what you want, but now you actually have to put the time and effort into doing it.
You took away your own excuse to not even try. Once you name that fear, you shine a light on it,
and once seen clearly, it begins to lose control. The act of noticing without judging brings light
into the shadow. The goal isn’t to fight the shadow, but to work with it. Over time,
by continuing to show up, even imperfectly, the resistance softens. So when hesitation
appears before something that matters, it’s not a sign of failure - it’s a doorway. The
part that feels afraid is often the same part that’s been waiting to be free.
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