Essay - Shadow Every Day, Millions of People Across the United States...

Shadow

Every day, millions of people across the United States hit off the alarm, drag themselves out of bed, grab a large c*****ee, get in the car and drive like crazy to work. It is ano*****r work day, just like all the o*****rs before ***** ***** come. As Bruce Shackleton explains in his essay, "Meeting the Shadow at Work," most people carry with ********** a shadow of another self th***** knows a better life *****an this. This constant companion is either recognized and denied, "I know. I *****. I should be doing something different that I like. But I need the money. Have to take care of the kids, pay ***** bills." Or the ***** remains hidden and repressed in the recesses of the m*****d: "I love this job. ***** is just what I always wanted to do. Then why am I always unhappy here?"

People are ********** trying to ei*****r meet the *****s of their shadow, or finding ways to hide it through excess work (you cannot think when you are working long hours ***** exhausted).

***** provides a couple of examples of individuals who are losing the battle with their shadow. For instance, Harold has a very low self-esteem from the way that he was raised. He is a vice president for a small high-technology company. He had been somewhat successful in his *****er up to ***** point. However, in his early 40s, he started therapy with Shackle*****n because he ***** no motivation, did not want to pursue anyth*****g more in ***** and spent all his free time thinking about retirement.

Harold's boss was very arrogant and ***** not accept anyone disagreeing with him. Harold could handle t***** type ***** boss, because it only supported his shadow of low self-confidence. For a while the job worked out all right. Harold did what he ***** told and was *****ed as someone who followed ***** right path. However, he had to squelch any creativity, energy ***** enthusiasm. Eventu*****y, Harold took the wrong path. Despite the fact that he ***** been a religious and lawful person, ***** began to embezzle money and act in aggressive ***** he did not understand.

A*****her Shackleton patient went the o*****r direction and ***** too hard. Being a work*****holic can also be caused, says Shackleton, from a problem during a person's childhood. For ex*****mple, the ***** may use work as a means ***** *****coming his parent's shadow self. He is trying to achieve something they could not. If a person like th***** works for a ***** *****at demands its employees to put in extra hours and effort, the shadows ***** goals are aligned. However, ***** ***** only push this hard so ***** before something h***** to give in a *****al life. An individual has only so many resources. By giving so much to work, other aspects will suffer.

Workaholism is a serious addiction that can cause poor productivity, low morale and hazardous working conditions. "When I was in my *****ive work addiction, my nickname was 'white