Have you ever responded to a high pressure or intense situation with any of these responses below?

 

• exploding in anger

• running away

• freezing up

• scrambling to make up excuses

• kind of disassociating or "checking out"

• having an outburst and saying things you regret later

• finding yourself caught in petty arguments

​

When you respond in these ways, it is usually a sign that your shadow self is taking over in that moment as an attempt to help you survive and get through it.

 

​

Any time you encounter a threatening situation or what you feel is threatening in the moment - your body responds with what we know as a fight, flight, or freeze response. This your body's adrenaline response, a survival mechanism attempting to give you extra energy to keep you safe.

 

​

It's likely you've experienced all three these responses - each at different times - throughout your life.  And yet, through the events you've uniquely experienced and the patterns that your experiences build, you will probably develop a stronger tendency towards one of these responses over the others. 

​

It's important to learn to manage these fears because having your nervous system assaulted by this adrenaline response too often is like slamming down to hard on the acceleration pedal in a car: you may go faster or be pushed into "high gear" to deal with matter at hand, but overall, it's not great for the car and can be dangerous - you are bound to crash at some point.

​

Under normal conditions we aren't constantly aroused into this overtaxing state of stimulation.  In everyday life, we experience some excitement or drama, but then it is followed by periods of calm and relaxation where we can recover.

​

Well, but then insert into this the current pandemic, the environmental concerns we're facing, the political upheaval. . . and you can imagine we are - most all of us - experiencing this heightened state of fear - of feeling the need to flee, to fight or to freeze up - more often than is healthy.

​

​

Our buttons are being pushed All The Time!

​

​

More than ever it's important to learn about these responses, the shadow selves they support, and how we might learn to wake ourselves up from the kind of fear trance-state that the events of the outside world so quickly create.

​

In my work as a performance coach and hypnotherapist who helps people manage their fear responses - and so, also their fight, flight, and freeze symptoms - I have uncovered archetypes which personify these different adrenaline responses.  And I call these, The Shadow Selves which are as follows:

 

• the Outlaw

• the Rebel and

• the Fabulist

​

​

​

​

​

This quiz above was created to asses your primary shadow self so you can know exactly what is running you.  Once you know this shadow self you are that much more empowered to be in a position to manage your stress and anxiety, show up better in relationships, and be able to cope more easily with rejection, loss, grief, or intense situations.

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because here's the thing. . .  .

​

Once you understand what's running you, then YOU get to make a Choice about how you want to start managing your fears. . . and utilizing them for their strengths (but more on that later).

​

If you're interested in learning more about these shadow selves and how you can wake up from the fear trance, you can check out my latest book, already a #1 New Release, Making Art In The Middle of Madness.

​

But before you do that, go head and SCROLL UP and press the START button now so you can learn what fears and shadow selves are running YOU that you might not have even realized.

​

In wisdom and self-knowledge lies great power . . . 

​

Have fun taking the quiz - it's short! Only 10 questions and be sure to sign up for your free full report at the end of the assessment.

​

BIG LOVE,

Holly Shaw

​

​