Archetypes may not be part of your daily vocabulary or way of thinking, but they play a much more significant role in shaping your life than you may realize.
These universal patterns operate in the background and influence the majority of the choices you make whether you are aware of it or not. The more you learn to consciously understand the archetypes, the more you can use them to empower you, rather than having them sabotage your best efforts to create the life you desire.
What Are Archetypes?
“What exactly is an archetype?” you may think. According to Carl Jung who spent most of his life studying them, archetypes are ancient, universal symbols and themes that reside in the collective human unconscious. They form a common thread in the tapestry of our everyday experience, and they are part of our mental DNA, integrated into the very core of our psyche from birth.
Archetypes appear in myths and stories, as well as in our dreams. Many of the characters we encounter on a daily basis in the stories (books, movies, television series) we love can be seen as archetypes.
That’s why you have (sometimes strong) feelings about them: they are reflections of deep sides of you that you may have repressed or neglected to look at. The characters we adore and admire can embody our finest qualities that we have not yet fully embraced. Conversely, the characters we detest or react to with anger may reflect aspects of our own unintegrated shadow.
Consider, just as one example, a fictional character that you react to negatively because he or she exhibits self-pity or weakness. This character may be an unwelcome reminder of your own ignored inner victim or orphan archetype. And this archetype, when unacknowledged, can be responsible for insidious acts of self-sabotage that prevent you from achieving the goals and dreams you set for yourself.
If you learn to tap into the profound energy and wisdom the archetypes offer, you can gain the most powerful companions and allies for your journey through life that you could possibly imagine.
Harness the Unfathomable Power
Learning to recognize the archetypes and how they show up in your everyday life is a total game-changer that can empower you to make conscious, deliberate life choices. So if you want to truly be the author of and main character in your own life story, addressing archetypal influences and aligning with them is a must.
Even understanding a few basic archetypes can significantly impact the decisions you make in your life and in your business: the hero archetype may help you pursue challenging goals, the caretaker can give you a strong focus on nurturing and helping others, while the rebel may support you in choosing a path that is different from that of other people.
The first step in learning to harness the power of archetypes is always to become aware and reflective of your own archetypal patterns. When you start to identify these, you can work toward transforming them so that they align with your goals and desires. And this transformation, by the way, is one of the most enjoyable processes you can possible imagine.
Embark on a Brand New Journey
Archetypes are the hidden architects in your life. Understanding and addressing them is pivotal for taking back control of your life story. Because, as I always say, if you don’t run with the wolf, the wolf WILL run with you!
Armed with the knowledge of what archetypes are and how they affect you, you can embark on an adventurous journey of self-discovery and transformation (which, by the way, is so much fun to share with the children in your life).
Aligning with the archetypes won’t stop you from encountering problems and obstacles on your path, but it will completely shift the way you perceive them. After all, it’s much more fun to approach one’s life actively from the hero perspective than passively from the victim perspective.
I can assure you of one thing from my decade long experience of studying and working with archetypes both personally and professionally: It’s always an exhilarating and triumphant feeling when you notice that you have made a conscious choice that led you towards something you desire, whereas earlier you might have allowed unacknowledged archetypal forces to determine your destiny.
I say it’s time to be the author of your own story. What do you say?
ready to get started?
REFUEL WITH ARCHETYPES
If you want to jump start your archetypal adventure, grab my free course Reclaim Your Life Story and you’ll be well on your way in only 15 Minutes.
