<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Shadow Thoughts: News & Updates]]></title><description><![CDATA[The shifts. The behind-the-scenes. The subtle earthquakes. This is where I share what's changing: inside the work, inside me, and sometimes, inside you.]]></description><link>https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/news-and-updates</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fFQ_!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4f9dc571-5690-4015-bee9-feb73b04a177_500x500.png</url><title>Shadow Thoughts: News &amp; Updates</title><link>https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/news-and-updates</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 16:35:33 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[healingthoughts@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[healingthoughts@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[healingthoughts@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[healingthoughts@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[Shadow Thoughts, fully formed. What’s new, what’s coming, and what’s yours.]]></title><description><![CDATA[This isn&#8217;t just a newsletter anymore. It&#8217;s a ritual for the ones who feel too much and say too little. A conversation with the parts of you that were never given permission to speak.]]></description><link>https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/shadow-thoughts-fully-formed-whats</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/shadow-thoughts-fully-formed-whats</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 22 Jun 2025 15:30:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bfeo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Now that the dust has settled<br>and <em>Shadow Thoughts</em> has shed its old skin,<br>I wanted to take a moment to show you what&#8217;s truly changed,<br>not just the name,<br>but the bones beneath it.<br>The structure.<br>The intention.<br>The depth we&#8217;re willing to go.</p><p>This isn&#8217;t just a newsletter anymore.<br>It&#8217;s a ritual for the ones who feel too much and say too little.<br>A conversation with the parts of you that were never given permission to speak.</p><p>It&#8217;s a place for grief that never got a funeral.<br>Anger that still simmers under your skin.<br>Stories you&#8217;ve rewritten to survive.</p><p>And now, it lives in seven distinct sections,<br>each one carved for a different part of your shadow.<br>Each one an invitation to descend,<br>to remember,<br>to speak what was once unspeakable.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bfeo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bfeo!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bfeo!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bfeo!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bfeo!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bfeo!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png" width="900" height="600" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:600,&quot;width&quot;:900,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:808522,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165635329?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bfeo!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bfeo!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bfeo!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bfeo!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9e80f1a7-b02d-47ec-88f1-99b23c769af8_900x600.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p>Let me show you the rooms inside the wound.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bSs_!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3a7e71a-6a06-4c69-9bbd-bf1d7a818da3_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bSs_!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3a7e71a-6a06-4c69-9bbd-bf1d7a818da3_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bSs_!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3a7e71a-6a06-4c69-9bbd-bf1d7a818da3_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bSs_!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3a7e71a-6a06-4c69-9bbd-bf1d7a818da3_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bSs_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3a7e71a-6a06-4c69-9bbd-bf1d7a818da3_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bSs_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3a7e71a-6a06-4c69-9bbd-bf1d7a818da3_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d3a7e71a-6a06-4c69-9bbd-bf1d7a818da3_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:55809,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165635329?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3a7e71a-6a06-4c69-9bbd-bf1d7a818da3_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bSs_!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3a7e71a-6a06-4c69-9bbd-bf1d7a818da3_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bSs_!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3a7e71a-6a06-4c69-9bbd-bf1d7a818da3_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bSs_!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3a7e71a-6a06-4c69-9bbd-bf1d7a818da3_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bSs_!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd3a7e71a-6a06-4c69-9bbd-bf1d7a818da3_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3><strong>A short poem. Every day.</strong></h3><p>Some will cut.<br>Some will name what you&#8217;ve never dared to say aloud.<br>These aren&#8217;t affirmations.<br>They&#8217;re <strong>incisions</strong>,<br>small truths carved into soft places,<br>where the light rarely reaches,<br>but the ache always lives.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/daily-wound&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Read the Daily Wound&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/daily-wound"><span>Read the Daily Wound</span></a></p><p><strong>Perfect if:</strong><br>You crave daily resonance.<br>You read to feel <em>seen</em> before the day begins, or when it finally breaks you open.<br>You want words that don&#8217;t fix you,<br>just <em>stand beside you</em> in the dark.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bl4P!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb452a039-ace3-4767-a900-5f307ef6ad92_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bl4P!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb452a039-ace3-4767-a900-5f307ef6ad92_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bl4P!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb452a039-ace3-4767-a900-5f307ef6ad92_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bl4P!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb452a039-ace3-4767-a900-5f307ef6ad92_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bl4P!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb452a039-ace3-4767-a900-5f307ef6ad92_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bl4P!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb452a039-ace3-4767-a900-5f307ef6ad92_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/b452a039-ace3-4767-a900-5f307ef6ad92_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:42971,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165635329?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb452a039-ace3-4767-a900-5f307ef6ad92_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bl4P!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb452a039-ace3-4767-a900-5f307ef6ad92_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bl4P!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb452a039-ace3-4767-a900-5f307ef6ad92_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bl4P!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb452a039-ace3-4767-a900-5f307ef6ad92_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bl4P!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb452a039-ace3-4767-a900-5f307ef6ad92_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>A monthly shadow work thriller, released every full moon.</h3><p>Think: Jungian fiction, emotional horror, and soul-mirror storytelling.<br>These aren&#8217;t just stories.<br>They&#8217;re <em>descents</em>,<br>tales of undoing, of identities cracking at the seams,<br>of what it means to look inward and find something staring back.</p><p>Part catharsis. Part confrontation.<br>Every tale is a wound you&#8217;re meant to witness.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/camp-jung&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Read Camp Jung&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/camp-jung"><span>Read Camp Jung</span></a></p><p><strong>Perfect if:</strong><br>You crave <strong>depth.</strong><br>You like your truths <em>unsettling</em>, wrapped in haunting, human skin.<br>You&#8217;ve ever seen yourself in a character who&#8217;s breaking,<br>and calling that breaking <em>holy.</em></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yMFW!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F335cfc7a-746d-4263-a019-8943a0885c77_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yMFW!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F335cfc7a-746d-4263-a019-8943a0885c77_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yMFW!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F335cfc7a-746d-4263-a019-8943a0885c77_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yMFW!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F335cfc7a-746d-4263-a019-8943a0885c77_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yMFW!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F335cfc7a-746d-4263-a019-8943a0885c77_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yMFW!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F335cfc7a-746d-4263-a019-8943a0885c77_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/335cfc7a-746d-4263-a019-8943a0885c77_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:55292,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165635329?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F335cfc7a-746d-4263-a019-8943a0885c77_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yMFW!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F335cfc7a-746d-4263-a019-8943a0885c77_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yMFW!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F335cfc7a-746d-4263-a019-8943a0885c77_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yMFW!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F335cfc7a-746d-4263-a019-8943a0885c77_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yMFW!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F335cfc7a-746d-4263-a019-8943a0885c77_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Ego and Shadow, <br>debating inside fictional and historical minds.</h3><p>What happens when you split a character open,<br>peel back their public mask,<br>and <em>listen</em> to the war underneath?</p><p>This is the answer.<br>It&#8217;s philosophy.<br>It&#8217;s psychology.<br>It&#8217;s inner monologue therapy, tangled in tension and truth.<br>A chorus of voices fighting for control in the quietest corners of the soul.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/conscious-divided&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Read Conscious Divided&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/conscious-divided"><span>Read Conscious Divided</span></a></p><p><strong>Perfect if:</strong><br>You crave character studies and moral contradictions.<br>You like your minds <em>messy</em>, your questions unresolvable.<br>You&#8217;ve argued with yourself, and lost, then questioned who <em>won.</em></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f0ev!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770bdebf-96a3-41cc-8728-f14589583961_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f0ev!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770bdebf-96a3-41cc-8728-f14589583961_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f0ev!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770bdebf-96a3-41cc-8728-f14589583961_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f0ev!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770bdebf-96a3-41cc-8728-f14589583961_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f0ev!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770bdebf-96a3-41cc-8728-f14589583961_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f0ev!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770bdebf-96a3-41cc-8728-f14589583961_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/770bdebf-96a3-41cc-8728-f14589583961_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:57986,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165635329?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770bdebf-96a3-41cc-8728-f14589583961_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f0ev!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770bdebf-96a3-41cc-8728-f14589583961_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f0ev!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770bdebf-96a3-41cc-8728-f14589583961_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f0ev!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770bdebf-96a3-41cc-8728-f14589583961_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!f0ev!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F770bdebf-96a3-41cc-8728-f14589583961_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>The shifts. The behind-the-scenes. The subtle earthquakes.</h3><p>This is where I speak plainly<br>about the tremors inside the work,<br>the quiet evolutions inside me,<br>and the invisible ways this space is reshaping you, too.</p><p>These aren&#8217;t announcements.<br>They&#8217;re ruptures.<br>The moments between what was and what&#8217;s becoming.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/news-and-updates&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Read the News &amp; Updates&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/news-and-updates"><span>Read the News &amp; Updates</span></a></p><p><strong>Perfect if:</strong><br>You want to feel the pulse behind the pages.<br>You like knowing what&#8217;s coming before it arrives.<br>You don&#8217;t just read the words, you trace where they were born.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7pSH!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e19db71-2dff-433c-bb81-028c92e02f41_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7pSH!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e19db71-2dff-433c-bb81-028c92e02f41_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7pSH!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e19db71-2dff-433c-bb81-028c92e02f41_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7pSH!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e19db71-2dff-433c-bb81-028c92e02f41_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7pSH!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e19db71-2dff-433c-bb81-028c92e02f41_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7pSH!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e19db71-2dff-433c-bb81-028c92e02f41_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2e19db71-2dff-433c-bb81-028c92e02f41_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:45544,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165635329?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e19db71-2dff-433c-bb81-028c92e02f41_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7pSH!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e19db71-2dff-433c-bb81-028c92e02f41_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7pSH!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e19db71-2dff-433c-bb81-028c92e02f41_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7pSH!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e19db71-2dff-433c-bb81-028c92e02f41_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7pSH!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2e19db71-2dff-433c-bb81-028c92e02f41_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>I grew up learning that silence was safer.</h3><p>That softness kept the peace.<br>That being liked meant being less.</p><p>So I folded my voice<br>into small, polite shapes,<br>until I forgot what it sounded like.</p><p>But pain keeps its own record.<br>And eventually,<br>it started writing back.</p><p>This is the story of how I disappeared.<br>And how the writing brought me home.<br>Not a victory lap.<br>A reckoning.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/my-story&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Read My Story&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/my-story"><span>Read My Story</span></a></p><p><strong>Perfect if:</strong><br>You want to know the voice behind the wounds.<br>You&#8217;ve been quiet so long you forgot you were still here.<br>You&#8217;re looking for something honest enough to hurt and heal.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5r9a!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F248c0129-e9fd-4c67-b452-292330618967_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5r9a!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F248c0129-e9fd-4c67-b452-292330618967_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5r9a!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F248c0129-e9fd-4c67-b452-292330618967_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5r9a!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F248c0129-e9fd-4c67-b452-292330618967_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5r9a!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F248c0129-e9fd-4c67-b452-292330618967_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5r9a!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F248c0129-e9fd-4c67-b452-292330618967_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/248c0129-e9fd-4c67-b452-292330618967_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:51595,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165635329?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F248c0129-e9fd-4c67-b452-292330618967_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5r9a!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F248c0129-e9fd-4c67-b452-292330618967_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5r9a!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F248c0129-e9fd-4c67-b452-292330618967_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5r9a!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F248c0129-e9fd-4c67-b452-292330618967_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5r9a!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F248c0129-e9fd-4c67-b452-292330618967_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Delivered bi-weekly, but only to Founding Members.</h3><p>Each one is a descent into a single emotional wound,<br>shame, anger, fear, abandonment, control&#8230;<br>not to analyze it, but to <em>meet it</em>,<br>day after day, without flinching.</p><p>Thirty prompts.<br>Thirty chances to sit with what you&#8217;ve buried.<br>This isn&#8217;t content.<br>It isn&#8217;t fluff.<br>It&#8217;s a mirror that doesn&#8217;t blink.<br>A daily reckoning dressed as a journal.<br>A quiet ritual for the parts of you that never got closure.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/shadow-journals&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Download Shadow Journals&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/shadow-journals"><span>Download Shadow Journals</span></a></p><p><strong>Perfect if:</strong><br>You don&#8217;t want comfort, you want confrontation.<br>You crave structure but not softness.<br>You&#8217;re ready to write the things you swore you wouldn&#8217;t say out loud.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lSg-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6f5f4c2-7d44-4bf0-9eea-e21e3e779171_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lSg-!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6f5f4c2-7d44-4bf0-9eea-e21e3e779171_1100x220.png 424w, 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loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>If it ever feels like <em>too much</em> (or not enough), <br>you can <strong>customize exactly what shows up in your inbox</strong>.</h3><p>Here&#8217;s how:</p><ol><li><p><strong>Click your profile photo</strong> in the top-right corner of Substack</p></li><li><p>Select <strong>Settings</strong> from the dropdown menu</p></li><li><p>Scroll down to the <strong>Email Newsletters</strong> section</p></li><li><p>Find <strong>Shadow Thoughts</strong> and click <strong>Settings</strong> beside it</p></li><li><p>You&#8217;ll see checkboxes for:</p><ul><li><p>&#9989; Daily Thoughts</p></li><li><p>&#9989; Camp Jung</p></li><li><p>&#9989; Conscious Divided</p></li><li><p>&#9989; Shadow Journals </p></li><li><p>&#9989; My Story</p></li><li><p>&#9989; News &amp; Updates</p><ul><li><p><strong>Toggle on/off</strong> any section depending on what you want to receive</p></li></ul></li></ul></li><li><p>Changes save automatically&#8230;<em><strong> done!</strong></em></p></li></ol><p>This is your shadow work. You get to choose the pace.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!x41A!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa28ec2d7-4225-4bf4-948e-0379cf7e2f08_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!x41A!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa28ec2d7-4225-4bf4-948e-0379cf7e2f08_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!x41A!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa28ec2d7-4225-4bf4-948e-0379cf7e2f08_1100x220.png 848w, 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!x41A!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa28ec2d7-4225-4bf4-948e-0379cf7e2f08_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!x41A!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa28ec2d7-4225-4bf4-948e-0379cf7e2f08_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!x41A!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa28ec2d7-4225-4bf4-948e-0379cf7e2f08_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!x41A!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa28ec2d7-4225-4bf4-948e-0379cf7e2f08_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Whether you read daily or only drop in once every full moon,</h3><p><strong>I&#8217;m grateful you&#8217;re here.</strong><br>This space wasn&#8217;t built for performance.<br>It wasn&#8217;t made to impress.<br>It was built for <strong>honesty</strong>,<br>the kind that trembles,<br>the kind that doesn&#8217;t always tie itself up in healing bows.</p><p>Here, your silence is understood.<br>Your ache is allowed.<br>Your contradictions are expected.</p><h3>And somewhere in the marrow of all this,<br><strong>there&#8217;s a place for your voice.</strong><br>Not the polished version.<br>The raw one.<br>The one you buried so well,<br>you almost forgot it was still breathing.</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_nJq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0870c772-1a91-4ea2-8ccc-9b3a0a205c4c_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_nJq!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0870c772-1a91-4ea2-8ccc-9b3a0a205c4c_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_nJq!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0870c772-1a91-4ea2-8ccc-9b3a0a205c4c_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_nJq!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0870c772-1a91-4ea2-8ccc-9b3a0a205c4c_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_nJq!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0870c772-1a91-4ea2-8ccc-9b3a0a205c4c_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_nJq!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0870c772-1a91-4ea2-8ccc-9b3a0a205c4c_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_nJq!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0870c772-1a91-4ea2-8ccc-9b3a0a205c4c_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_nJq!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0870c772-1a91-4ea2-8ccc-9b3a0a205c4c_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_nJq!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0870c772-1a91-4ea2-8ccc-9b3a0a205c4c_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_nJq!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0870c772-1a91-4ea2-8ccc-9b3a0a205c4c_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">This isn&#8217;t self-help. It&#8217;s self-confrontation. <strong>Subscribe if you&#8217;re ready to keep going. </strong>Become a paid member if you want to feed the fire. &#128293;</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Welcome to Shadow Thoughts.]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you're here, it's probably because you're done pretending. Done shrinking. Done with polished healing quotes that don't touch the wound.]]></description><link>https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/welcome-to-shadow-thoughts</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/welcome-to-shadow-thoughts</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 21 Jun 2025 15:30:38 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/46eb0548-59af-4147-9c89-25d609812fbe_900x600.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>This isn&#8217;t a place for performative self-help.</strong><br>This is a descent. A reckoning.<br>A mirror that doesn&#8217;t flinch when you do.</p><h3>It&#8217;s not about feeling better fast.<br>It&#8217;s about feeling what you buried so deep it started speaking in symptoms.</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N0xl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F077df568-9e43-46f0-8ebb-d6dba8121017_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N0xl!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F077df568-9e43-46f0-8ebb-d6dba8121017_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N0xl!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F077df568-9e43-46f0-8ebb-d6dba8121017_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N0xl!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F077df568-9e43-46f0-8ebb-d6dba8121017_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N0xl!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F077df568-9e43-46f0-8ebb-d6dba8121017_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N0xl!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F077df568-9e43-46f0-8ebb-d6dba8121017_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N0xl!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F077df568-9e43-46f0-8ebb-d6dba8121017_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N0xl!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F077df568-9e43-46f0-8ebb-d6dba8121017_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N0xl!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F077df568-9e43-46f0-8ebb-d6dba8121017_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!N0xl!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F077df568-9e43-46f0-8ebb-d6dba8121017_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/about">Shadow Thoughts</a></strong></em><strong> is a reader-supported newsletter about shadow work, emotional survival, and poetic truth.</strong><br>It&#8217;s where we drag the uncomfortable into the light and sit with it long enough to understand it.<br>Where metaphor meets memory.<br>Where pain gets named, not prettied up.</p><h3>It&#8217;s for the ones who&#8217;ve done &#8220;the work&#8221; but still wake up haunted.<br>For the ones who speak fluently in silence.<br>For the ones who want something <strong>real</strong> even if it hurts first.</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Z7dg!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73363a10-2ba9-4870-8e64-18f8e26fe843_900x600.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Z7dg!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73363a10-2ba9-4870-8e64-18f8e26fe843_900x600.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Z7dg!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73363a10-2ba9-4870-8e64-18f8e26fe843_900x600.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Z7dg!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73363a10-2ba9-4870-8e64-18f8e26fe843_900x600.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft 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stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p>Inside you&#8217;ll find:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Daily poems that bleed</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Weekly roundups that stitch it all together</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Spooky shadow work thrillers dropped every full moon</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Fictional and historical dialogues between Ego and Shadow</strong></p></li></ul><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!98BB!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd3cb596-ed40-4b0f-ae21-7a147bb7b2dc_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!98BB!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd3cb596-ed40-4b0f-ae21-7a147bb7b2dc_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!98BB!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd3cb596-ed40-4b0f-ae21-7a147bb7b2dc_1100x220.png 848w, 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!98BB!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd3cb596-ed40-4b0f-ae21-7a147bb7b2dc_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!98BB!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd3cb596-ed40-4b0f-ae21-7a147bb7b2dc_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!98BB!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd3cb596-ed40-4b0f-ae21-7a147bb7b2dc_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!98BB!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd3cb596-ed40-4b0f-ae21-7a147bb7b2dc_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><ul><li><p>Quick-fix advice dressed up as depth</p></li><li><p>Spiritual bypassing in a better font</p></li><li><p>&#8220;High-vibe&#8221; wellness that gaslights your grief and calls it growth</p></li><li><p>Platitudes pretending to be healing</p></li><li><p>Another safe space that&#8217;s too afraid to name the pain</p></li></ul><h3>This space doesn&#8217;t flinch.<br>It doesn&#8217;t clean you up before you&#8217;re ready.<br>It doesn&#8217;t apologize for the parts that still bleed.</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7c6m!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0e01edff-e7c1-4de4-8ab4-c65682f1d364_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" 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loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><strong>You&#8217;re probably in the right place if:</strong></p><ul><li><p>You&#8217;ve mastered the art of smiling through rupture</p></li><li><p>You crave <em>truth</em> more than comfort, <em>substance</em> over sparkle</p></li><li><p>You think too much, feel too much, and edit yourself to survive</p></li><li><p>You want healing that respects the shadow not just the light</p></li><li><p>You&#8217;ve said <em>&#8220;I&#8217;m fine&#8221;</em> while swallowing the scream behind your teeth</p></li></ul><h3>If your scars have ever made you feel unlovable&#8230;<br>You&#8217;re home now.</h3><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sUOj!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6fe811d7-c297-4ee5-997b-48608cd3655b_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sUOj!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6fe811d7-c297-4ee5-997b-48608cd3655b_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sUOj!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6fe811d7-c297-4ee5-997b-48608cd3655b_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!sUOj!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6fe811d7-c297-4ee5-997b-48608cd3655b_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/daily-wound">Daily Wounds</a> (</strong><em>Free</em>) <br>A short, sharp poem every day.<br>Not polished. Not precious. Just the truth your nervous system couldn&#8217;t say out loud.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/camp-jung">Camp Jung</a></strong> <strong>(</strong><em>Paid</em>) <br>A shadow work thriller drops every full moon.<br>Dark fiction. Deep metaphor. Psychological horror with purpose.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/conscious-divided">Conscious Divided</a></strong> <strong>(</strong><em>Paid</em>) <br>Shadow and Ego go to war inside iconic minds.<br>Fictional and historical figures seen through the lens of their unraveling.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/shadow-journals">Shadow Journals</a></strong> <em>(Paid)</em><br>A bi-weekly, 30-day prompt series that confronts one wound at a time:<br>Shame. Anger. Inner Child. Control. Fear of Abandonment. Emotional Armor.</p><h3>This isn&#8217;t for everyone.<br>But if you&#8217;re still reading, it&#8217;s probably for you.</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2noZ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F91c1a423-4f19-41ae-b3b8-49c1d94fa126_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2noZ!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F91c1a423-4f19-41ae-b3b8-49c1d94fa126_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2noZ!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F91c1a423-4f19-41ae-b3b8-49c1d94fa126_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2noZ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F91c1a423-4f19-41ae-b3b8-49c1d94fa126_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2noZ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F91c1a423-4f19-41ae-b3b8-49c1d94fa126_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2noZ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F91c1a423-4f19-41ae-b3b8-49c1d94fa126_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/91c1a423-4f19-41ae-b3b8-49c1d94fa126_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:63231,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165501009?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F91c1a423-4f19-41ae-b3b8-49c1d94fa126_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2noZ!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F91c1a423-4f19-41ae-b3b8-49c1d94fa126_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2noZ!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F91c1a423-4f19-41ae-b3b8-49c1d94fa126_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2noZ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F91c1a423-4f19-41ae-b3b8-49c1d94fa126_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2noZ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F91c1a423-4f19-41ae-b3b8-49c1d94fa126_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Most of the poems bleed freely.<br>But the deeper cuts<br>the essays that don&#8217;t flinch,<br>the thrillers that scream your name,<br>the shadow journals that dare you to look closer<br>live behind the paywall.</p><p><strong>Subscribe for free</strong> if you&#8217;re shadow-curious.<br><strong>Go paid</strong> if you&#8217;re ready to sit in the fire.<br><strong>Go Founding</strong> if you&#8217;re all in. No flinching. No filters. No skipping steps.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><h3>This work survives <em>only</em> because people like you believe in slow healing and unedited truth.</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QHLg!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f37885f-ec59-4fa3-9ed1-c4371c525f54_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QHLg!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f37885f-ec59-4fa3-9ed1-c4371c525f54_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QHLg!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f37885f-ec59-4fa3-9ed1-c4371c525f54_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QHLg!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f37885f-ec59-4fa3-9ed1-c4371c525f54_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QHLg!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f37885f-ec59-4fa3-9ed1-c4371c525f54_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QHLg!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f37885f-ec59-4fa3-9ed1-c4371c525f54_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QHLg!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f37885f-ec59-4fa3-9ed1-c4371c525f54_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QHLg!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f37885f-ec59-4fa3-9ed1-c4371c525f54_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QHLg!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f37885f-ec59-4fa3-9ed1-c4371c525f54_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QHLg!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f37885f-ec59-4fa3-9ed1-c4371c525f54_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Paid Subscribers unlock a private section inside this work:<br>A bi-weekly <strong>30-Day Shadow Work Journal</strong> series.</h3><p>Each journal is a scalpel.<br>Each topic, a wound you&#8217;ve carried too long:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Shame</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Anger</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Inner Child</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Control</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Fear of Abandonment</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Emotional Armor</strong></p></li></ul><h3>One prompt a day.<br>Thirty days of reckoning.<br>This isn&#8217;t content.<br>It&#8217;s a confrontation.</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FOHn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae94a859-9502-41e7-bfa1-7ddd2a333f28_900x600.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FOHn!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae94a859-9502-41e7-bfa1-7ddd2a333f28_900x600.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FOHn!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae94a859-9502-41e7-bfa1-7ddd2a333f28_900x600.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FOHn!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae94a859-9502-41e7-bfa1-7ddd2a333f28_900x600.png 1272w, 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data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ae94a859-9502-41e7-bfa1-7ddd2a333f28_900x600.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:600,&quot;width&quot;:900,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:774228,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165501009?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fae94a859-9502-41e7-bfa1-7ddd2a333f28_900x600.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" 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stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>If you&#8217;re already a Paid Subscriber <br><strong>your first journal <a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/s/shadow-journals">can be found here</a>.</strong><br>If not and something deep in you just twitched,<br><strong>you <a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe">can become one here</a>.</strong></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YuEw!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e0bcbe0-387e-47b2-bd12-77f541e89875_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YuEw!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e0bcbe0-387e-47b2-bd12-77f541e89875_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YuEw!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e0bcbe0-387e-47b2-bd12-77f541e89875_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YuEw!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e0bcbe0-387e-47b2-bd12-77f541e89875_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YuEw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e0bcbe0-387e-47b2-bd12-77f541e89875_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YuEw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e0bcbe0-387e-47b2-bd12-77f541e89875_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8e0bcbe0-387e-47b2-bd12-77f541e89875_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:54368,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165501009?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e0bcbe0-387e-47b2-bd12-77f541e89875_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YuEw!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e0bcbe0-387e-47b2-bd12-77f541e89875_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YuEw!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e0bcbe0-387e-47b2-bd12-77f541e89875_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YuEw!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e0bcbe0-387e-47b2-bd12-77f541e89875_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YuEw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e0bcbe0-387e-47b2-bd12-77f541e89875_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3><strong>New Here? Good. Stay.</strong></h3><p>Ease in. Or don&#8217;t.<br>The shadow will meet you wherever you stand,<br>whether you softly knock at the door or kick it off its hinges.</p><div class="pullquote"><p>&#128220; <strong>Take this with you.</strong><br>When you subscribe, you&#8217;ll receive a <strong>free 30-Day Shadow Work Journal</strong>,<br><em>a small weapon for the descent.</em><br>One page a day.<br>One breath deeper than you thought you could go.<br>Not content. Not comfort.<br><em>A quiet reckoning for the parts of you that stayed silent too long.</em></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p></div><p><strong>Start with:</strong></p><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/the-perfect-child">One of the most-loved Daily Wounds</a></strong> &#8212; a raw confession to remind you you&#8217;re not the only one bleeding pretty behind a polite smile.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/fairy-tales-for-the-brokenhearted">A reader-favorite Camp Jung thriller</a></strong> &#8212; proof my shadows don&#8217;t just speak; they hunt, they chase, they teach.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/where-the-rain-waits">A Conscious Divided piece</a></strong> &#8212; a truth so honest it cracked my own ribs to write it down.</p></li></ul><h3>Then slow down.<br>This isn&#8217;t built for scrolling.<br>It&#8217;s built for surviving, <br>word by word, bruise by bruise.</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZWWG!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35f03206-5ec6-49f8-b175-d37c80e779b6_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZWWG!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35f03206-5ec6-49f8-b175-d37c80e779b6_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZWWG!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35f03206-5ec6-49f8-b175-d37c80e779b6_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZWWG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35f03206-5ec6-49f8-b175-d37c80e779b6_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZWWG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35f03206-5ec6-49f8-b175-d37c80e779b6_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZWWG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35f03206-5ec6-49f8-b175-d37c80e779b6_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/35f03206-5ec6-49f8-b175-d37c80e779b6_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:62124,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165501009?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35f03206-5ec6-49f8-b175-d37c80e779b6_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZWWG!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35f03206-5ec6-49f8-b175-d37c80e779b6_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZWWG!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35f03206-5ec6-49f8-b175-d37c80e779b6_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZWWG!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35f03206-5ec6-49f8-b175-d37c80e779b6_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ZWWG!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F35f03206-5ec6-49f8-b175-d37c80e779b6_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/about">About This Place</a> &#8212; </strong>This is <em>Shadow Thoughts</em>&#8230; not self-help, not a neat little pep talk. It&#8217;s a soft riot in your inbox, a hush-breaking bruise we survive together.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/an-introduction-to-my-story-1">About Me</a> &#8212; </strong>I&#8217;m <a href="https://www.ryanpuusaari.com/">Ryan Puusaari</a>. I turned my silence into a knife that writes itself clean. I don&#8217;t fear your secrets, I feed them until they speak.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/shadow-thoughts-the-silence-that">About the Book</a> &#8212; </strong>Every confession here is a loose page clawing its way toward my next book: <em><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/shadow-thoughts-the-silence-that">Shadow Thoughts: The Silence That Kept Me</a>.</em> Read it raw, watch it grow its spine.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/30-day-shadow-work-journal">About the 30-Day Journal</a></strong> &#8212; When you cross the threshold and subscribe, you&#8217;ll receive a <strong>free </strong><em><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/30-day-shadow-work-journal">30-Day Shadow Work Journal</a></em><strong>. </strong><em>Forty-five pages that don&#8217;t ask for polish, only truth.</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/shadow-thoughts-fully-formed-whats">About Your Subscription</a> &#8212; </strong>Adjust how close you stand to the fire&#8230; more shadows, fewer shadows, or just enough to keep your own hush restless.</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h3>Come slow. Come sharp.<br>Come unfinished and unafraid.<br>The door is wide open,<br>and the hush loses every time we step through it together.</h3><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">This isn&#8217;t self-help. It&#8217;s self-confrontation. <strong>Subscribe if you&#8217;re ready to keep going. </strong>Become a paid member if you want to feed the fire. &#128293;</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!n3Sv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2e942af-115a-4440-9d54-f959a4a1b838_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!n3Sv!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2e942af-115a-4440-9d54-f959a4a1b838_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!n3Sv!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2e942af-115a-4440-9d54-f959a4a1b838_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!n3Sv!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2e942af-115a-4440-9d54-f959a4a1b838_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!n3Sv!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2e942af-115a-4440-9d54-f959a4a1b838_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!n3Sv!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2e942af-115a-4440-9d54-f959a4a1b838_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f2e942af-115a-4440-9d54-f959a4a1b838_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:46051,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165501009?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2e942af-115a-4440-9d54-f959a4a1b838_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!n3Sv!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2e942af-115a-4440-9d54-f959a4a1b838_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!n3Sv!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2e942af-115a-4440-9d54-f959a4a1b838_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!n3Sv!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2e942af-115a-4440-9d54-f959a4a1b838_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!n3Sv!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff2e942af-115a-4440-9d54-f959a4a1b838_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Take what speaks.<br>Let it sting. Let it settle in your bones.<br>Let it make you uncomfortable in the way truth always does when you&#8217;ve been surviving on silence.</p><p>Leave what overwhelms.<br>That&#8217;s not weakness. That&#8217;s wisdom.<br>Your nervous system has its own clock.<br>Not everything needs to be processed all at once.<br>Some wounds need time before they let you touch them.</p><p>And when your shadow calls you by name<br>not to shame you, but to <em>see</em> you<br>when it speaks through art, or memory, or a line you weren&#8217;t ready for the first time&#8230;<br><em>come back.</em></p><p>This work will still be here.<br>The mirror will still be waiting.<br>And this time, it won&#8217;t flinch.<br>Neither will you.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><h3>Welcome to the slow art of remembering who you were <br>before the world taught you to hide.<br><strong>Welcome home.</strong></h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!50q1!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b1fa05e-cb18-44b3-a393-40d18654e0a7_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!50q1!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b1fa05e-cb18-44b3-a393-40d18654e0a7_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!50q1!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b1fa05e-cb18-44b3-a393-40d18654e0a7_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!50q1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b1fa05e-cb18-44b3-a393-40d18654e0a7_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!50q1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b1fa05e-cb18-44b3-a393-40d18654e0a7_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!50q1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b1fa05e-cb18-44b3-a393-40d18654e0a7_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5b1fa05e-cb18-44b3-a393-40d18654e0a7_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:75066,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165501009?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b1fa05e-cb18-44b3-a393-40d18654e0a7_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!50q1!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b1fa05e-cb18-44b3-a393-40d18654e0a7_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!50q1!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b1fa05e-cb18-44b3-a393-40d18654e0a7_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!50q1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b1fa05e-cb18-44b3-a393-40d18654e0a7_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!50q1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b1fa05e-cb18-44b3-a393-40d18654e0a7_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3><strong>Still here? Good.</strong></h3><p>That means something in you hasn&#8217;t shut up yet.<br>Something&#8217;s still growling under the grin.<br>Don&#8217;t ignore it.</p><p>Dig into <a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/archive">the archives</a>.<br>You&#8217;ll find older wounds still warm,<br>secrets that refused to stay buried,<br>and pages that bleed the same way you do,<br>quiet at first, then loud enough to rattle the bones that raised you.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/archive&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Enter the Archives&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/archive"><span>Enter the Archives</span></a></p><p>Go ahead.<br>Open what you tried to forget.<br>It&#8217;s waiting.<br>And it remembers you.</p><div><hr></div><div class="captioned-button-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/welcome-to-shadow-thoughts?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="CaptionedButtonToDOM"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption"><strong>Thanks for reading Shadow Thoughts. </strong>If this spoke to something buried, feel free to pass it on. Someone else might need the mirror, too.</p></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/welcome-to-shadow-thoughts?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/welcome-to-shadow-thoughts?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Shadow Thoughts: The Silence That Kept Me]]></title><description><![CDATA[Not a tidy book. A collection of unpolished poems and confessions, spilled raw, one weekday at a time. Born from the parts of me that learned too young that silence was safer than screaming.]]></description><link>https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/shadow-thoughts-the-silence-that</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/shadow-thoughts-the-silence-that</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 19 Jun 2025 14:25:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/bfa7a47b-73ed-438e-9339-47de6cbcc7af_900x600.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Some wounds learned early<br>that screaming didn&#8217;t save them.<br>It only made the quiet sharper,<br>the punishments subtler,<br>the love colder.</p><p>So they folded themselves into compliance.<br>Into politeness.<br>Into <em>&#8220;No, really. I&#8217;m fine.&#8221;</em></p><p>And I wore that softness like armor,<br>thinking if I bled politely enough,<br>maybe they wouldn&#8217;t notice I was bleeding at all.</p><p>This is not your tidy Sunday self-help.<br>It&#8217;s not a voice telling you to calm down<br>or think happy thoughts.</p><p>This is a book being born<br>from the parts of me that never got permission<br>to say what they needed to say.<br>The raw nerve of everything I swallowed<br>to keep their comfort intact,<br>even as it split my ribs open from the inside.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4RJp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44f87a62-454a-4c72-a2e2-7905a415456f_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4RJp!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44f87a62-454a-4c72-a2e2-7905a415456f_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4RJp!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44f87a62-454a-4c72-a2e2-7905a415456f_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4RJp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44f87a62-454a-4c72-a2e2-7905a415456f_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4RJp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44f87a62-454a-4c72-a2e2-7905a415456f_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4RJp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44f87a62-454a-4c72-a2e2-7905a415456f_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/44f87a62-454a-4c72-a2e2-7905a415456f_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:64920,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165939954?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44f87a62-454a-4c72-a2e2-7905a415456f_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4RJp!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44f87a62-454a-4c72-a2e2-7905a415456f_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4RJp!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44f87a62-454a-4c72-a2e2-7905a415456f_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4RJp!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44f87a62-454a-4c72-a2e2-7905a415456f_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4RJp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F44f87a62-454a-4c72-a2e2-7905a415456f_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>The yes that left a scar deep enough to wake you at 3am.<br>The whispered no&#8217;s that should have rattled the walls.<br>The soft smile that cost you your softness.<br>The rage that hums behind your grin while you type <em>&#8220;No worries!&#8221;</em><br>The apology you were trained to give for simply existing.</p><h3>One poem.<br>Every weekday.<br>Unpolished. Undressed.<br>Unashamed to be unpretty.</h3><p>Each piece is a loose page,<br>scattered first here,<br>before they bind themselves together<br>as <em>Shadow Thoughts: The Silence That Kept Me.</em></p><h3>You&#8217;re reading the book <br><em>as it writes me back into my own voice.</em></h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AxQP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6d16504-a173-448a-a4b9-049e16cefddc_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AxQP!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6d16504-a173-448a-a4b9-049e16cefddc_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AxQP!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6d16504-a173-448a-a4b9-049e16cefddc_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AxQP!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6d16504-a173-448a-a4b9-049e16cefddc_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AxQP!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6d16504-a173-448a-a4b9-049e16cefddc_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AxQP!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6d16504-a173-448a-a4b9-049e16cefddc_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d6d16504-a173-448a-a4b9-049e16cefddc_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:55147,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165939954?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6d16504-a173-448a-a4b9-049e16cefddc_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AxQP!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6d16504-a173-448a-a4b9-049e16cefddc_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AxQP!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6d16504-a173-448a-a4b9-049e16cefddc_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AxQP!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6d16504-a173-448a-a4b9-049e16cefddc_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AxQP!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd6d16504-a173-448a-a4b9-049e16cefddc_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>You&#8217;ve ever bitten your tongue so hard<br>you forgot the taste of your own truth.</h3><p>You know how to shrink without thinking,<br>how to fold your need into a polite nod,<br>how to make your rage sound like an apology<br>just to keep the peace no one ever kept for you.</p><p>You called silence your shield, <br>your discipline, <br>your safety,<br>when really it was your sentence,<br>the prison you built with your own good behavior.</p><p>You crave a voice that says the thing you&#8217;re still <br>too polite, <br>too loyal, <br>too terrified to name.<br>You crave words that don&#8217;t flinch,<br>a mirror that doesn&#8217;t lie,<br>a permission slip to stop performing survival<br>and finally admit: <em>you&#8217;re still bleeding.</em></p><h3>If any part of you read this and felt the lump in your throat<br>good.<br>You&#8217;re in the right room.<br>Stay.</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JaZ6!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f23c5ff-a299-4620-8674-53e206f7a26b_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JaZ6!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f23c5ff-a299-4620-8674-53e206f7a26b_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JaZ6!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f23c5ff-a299-4620-8674-53e206f7a26b_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JaZ6!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f23c5ff-a299-4620-8674-53e206f7a26b_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JaZ6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f23c5ff-a299-4620-8674-53e206f7a26b_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JaZ6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f23c5ff-a299-4620-8674-53e206f7a26b_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7f23c5ff-a299-4620-8674-53e206f7a26b_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:77875,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165939954?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f23c5ff-a299-4620-8674-53e206f7a26b_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JaZ6!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f23c5ff-a299-4620-8674-53e206f7a26b_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JaZ6!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f23c5ff-a299-4620-8674-53e206f7a26b_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JaZ6!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f23c5ff-a299-4620-8674-53e206f7a26b_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!JaZ6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7f23c5ff-a299-4620-8674-53e206f7a26b_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>I don&#8217;t know when this will wear a spine and a barcode.<br>I don&#8217;t care.<br>Right now it&#8217;s alive&#8230; feral, soft, bleeding clean onto your screen<br>whether I want it to or not.</p><p>One poem at a time.<br>One confession at a time.<br>Until the silence forgets how to keep us docile.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p>You&#8217;ll get every raw piece I was too obedient to say out loud,<br>Monday through Friday.<br>No small talk.<br>No curation.<br>No pastel positivity.</p><p>Just the truth, still warm.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xDba!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61c5c865-a034-481d-8fe0-bbed86df3e66_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xDba!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61c5c865-a034-481d-8fe0-bbed86df3e66_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xDba!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61c5c865-a034-481d-8fe0-bbed86df3e66_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xDba!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61c5c865-a034-481d-8fe0-bbed86df3e66_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xDba!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61c5c865-a034-481d-8fe0-bbed86df3e66_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xDba!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61c5c865-a034-481d-8fe0-bbed86df3e66_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/61c5c865-a034-481d-8fe0-bbed86df3e66_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:75495,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165939954?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61c5c865-a034-481d-8fe0-bbed86df3e66_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xDba!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61c5c865-a034-481d-8fe0-bbed86df3e66_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xDba!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61c5c865-a034-481d-8fe0-bbed86df3e66_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xDba!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61c5c865-a034-481d-8fe0-bbed86df3e66_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xDba!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F61c5c865-a034-481d-8fe0-bbed86df3e66_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3><em>This book is coming.</em><br>When the silence decides I&#8217;ve bled enough,<br>when the last hidden word claws its way to daylight,<br>when the wound and the pen agree that nothing more needs to be buried.</h3><p>Until then,<br>come sit in the dark with me.<br>Come tear the stitches out, slow and honest,<br>thread by thread, confession by confession,<br>until what was hidden learns how to speak for itself.</p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">This isn&#8217;t self-help. It&#8217;s self-confrontation. <strong>Subscribe if you&#8217;re ready to keep going. </strong>Become a paid member if you want to feed the fire. &#128293;</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[This Substack has a new name and a deeper purpose]]></title><description><![CDATA[I want to let you know that Healing Thoughts has a new name. From here on out, this space will be called Shadow Thoughts.]]></description><link>https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/this-substack-has-a-new-name-and-4b5</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/this-substack-has-a-new-name-and-4b5</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 10 Jun 2025 18:20:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TYk-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I want to let you know that <em><s>Healing Thoughts</s></em> this Substack has a new name.</p><p>From here on out, this space will be called <strong>Shadow Thoughts</strong>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TYk-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TYk-!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TYk-!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TYk-!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TYk-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TYk-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png" width="1456" height="728" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:728,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:326403,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://healingthoughts.substack.com/i/165473607?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TYk-!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TYk-!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TYk-!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TYk-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa2d5c8ce-ac9b-4b28-bca9-0560a8eb910e_6000x3000.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Not because the healing is over.<br>But because real healing doesn&#8217;t start in the light.<br>It starts in the places we&#8217;d rather not look.<br>The memories we downplay. The habits we justify.<br>The versions of ourselves we try to outgrow without ever listening to.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p>This newsletter has evolved into something deeper, darker, and more honest than when it began.<br>What I&#8217;m writing now isn't about surface-level self-improvement.<br>It&#8217;s about <strong>shadow work</strong>. The slow, uncomfortable process of facing what we&#8217;ve buried and learning to live with all of it.</p><p>And with that evolution, I&#8217;ve also made it official:<br><strong>I&#8217;ve acquired <a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com">shadowthoughts.com</a></strong><br>This space now has a permanent home and a name that finally reflects the depth of the work.</p><p><em>Shadow Thoughts</em> is where I explore that through daily poems, longer stories, and raw inner dialogue.<br>It&#8217;s where truth gets messy. Healing gets real.<br>And discomfort becomes the doorway, not the obstacle.</p><p>You&#8217;re still in the right place.<br>The only thing that&#8217;s changed is the name<br>because the work demanded it.</p><p>Thank you for continuing to walk this with me.<br>The shadow doesn&#8217;t shrink when we look at it<br>but we do start to understand it.</p><p>And that changes everything.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2ub8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2aee4b10-b12d-4311-9e3a-76406a299be9_1100x220.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2ub8!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2aee4b10-b12d-4311-9e3a-76406a299be9_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2ub8!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2aee4b10-b12d-4311-9e3a-76406a299be9_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2ub8!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2aee4b10-b12d-4311-9e3a-76406a299be9_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2ub8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2aee4b10-b12d-4311-9e3a-76406a299be9_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2ub8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2aee4b10-b12d-4311-9e3a-76406a299be9_1100x220.png" width="1100" height="220" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2aee4b10-b12d-4311-9e3a-76406a299be9_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:220,&quot;width&quot;:1100,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:51893,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/i/165473607?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2aee4b10-b12d-4311-9e3a-76406a299be9_1100x220.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2ub8!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2aee4b10-b12d-4311-9e3a-76406a299be9_1100x220.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2ub8!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2aee4b10-b12d-4311-9e3a-76406a299be9_1100x220.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2ub8!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2aee4b10-b12d-4311-9e3a-76406a299be9_1100x220.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!2ub8!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2aee4b10-b12d-4311-9e3a-76406a299be9_1100x220.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><strong>P.S.</strong><br>If you're looking for something a little lighter: <br>daily encouragement, softer truths, and reflections that feel like breath after the storm&#8230;<br>I&#8217;ve moved that to my other newsletter, <br>formerly known as <em>Healing Texts</em>, now known as: <strong><a href="#">Healing Thoughts &#8594;</a></strong><br>Same heart. Different tone.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.healingthoughts.com&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Healing Thoughts&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://www.healingthoughts.com"><span>Healing Thoughts</span></a></p><p><strong>You're welcome to walk in both worlds.</strong></p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">This isn&#8217;t self-help. It&#8217;s self-confrontation. <strong>Subscribe if you&#8217;re ready to keep going. </strong>Become a paid member if you want to feed the fire. &#128293;</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[exciting updates and a sneak peek into the healing thoughts book]]></title><description><![CDATA[Over the past few months, I've been deeply entrenched in this new project, and I'm thrilled to finally be able to share some of it with you today.]]></description><link>https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/exciting-updates-and-a-sneak-peek</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/exciting-updates-and-a-sneak-peek</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 04 Jun 2024 17:15:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Amon!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff81e1025-03e5-489d-88ee-593df5bef635_940x788.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I hope this message finds you well. </p><p>I want to start by apologizing for my extended absence. </p><p>Over the past few months, I've been deeply entrenched in this new project, and I'm thrilled to finally be able to share some of it with you today.</p><p>My new book, <em><strong>Healing Thoughts</strong></em>, will be released on July 1, 2024. </p><div><hr></div><p>This project has been a labor of love, filled with countless late-night writing sessions, burning the midnight oil, and pouring my heart and soul into every page.</p><p>To express my deepest gratitude for your patience and unwavering support, I'm thrilled to offer you an exclusive sneak peek at the front matter of <em><strong>Healing Thoughts</strong>!</em> </p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Amon!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff81e1025-03e5-489d-88ee-593df5bef635_940x788.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Amon!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff81e1025-03e5-489d-88ee-593df5bef635_940x788.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Amon!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff81e1025-03e5-489d-88ee-593df5bef635_940x788.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Amon!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff81e1025-03e5-489d-88ee-593df5bef635_940x788.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Amon!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff81e1025-03e5-489d-88ee-593df5bef635_940x788.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Amon!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff81e1025-03e5-489d-88ee-593df5bef635_940x788.png" width="940" height="788" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f81e1025-03e5-489d-88ee-593df5bef635_940x788.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:788,&quot;width&quot;:940,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:174828,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Amon!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff81e1025-03e5-489d-88ee-593df5bef635_940x788.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Amon!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff81e1025-03e5-489d-88ee-593df5bef635_940x788.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Amon!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff81e1025-03e5-489d-88ee-593df5bef635_940x788.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Amon!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff81e1025-03e5-489d-88ee-593df5bef635_940x788.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Check out the first few pages of this book and get an early taste of what's to come. </p><div class="file-embed-wrapper" data-component-name="FileToDOM"><div class="file-embed-container-reader"><div class="file-embed-container-top"><image class="file-embed-thumbnail-default" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0Cy0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fimg%2Fattachment_icon.svg"></image><div class="file-embed-details"><div class="file-embed-details-h1">Healing Thoughts Front Matter</div><div class="file-embed-details-h2">393KB &#8729; PDF file</div></div><a class="file-embed-button wide" href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/api/v1/file/731a4152-1513-4583-874c-d27704feba9c.pdf"><span class="file-embed-button-text">Download</span></a></div><a class="file-embed-button narrow" href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/api/v1/file/731a4152-1513-4583-874c-d27704feba9c.pdf"><span class="file-embed-button-text">Download</span></a></div></div><p>Don't miss out &#8211; click above to start exploring now!</p><div><hr></div><p><strong>In even more exciting news&#8230; </strong></p><p>I have acquired the domain name <em><strong><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/">healingthoughts.com</a></strong>. </em></p><p>Moving forward, you can find all newsletters, updates, and information by visiting this URL.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bwkz!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fea032992-feb6-48d4-a1c4-6424df5fe888_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bwkz!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fea032992-feb6-48d4-a1c4-6424df5fe888_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bwkz!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fea032992-feb6-48d4-a1c4-6424df5fe888_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bwkz!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fea032992-feb6-48d4-a1c4-6424df5fe888_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bwkz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fea032992-feb6-48d4-a1c4-6424df5fe888_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bwkz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fea032992-feb6-48d4-a1c4-6424df5fe888_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ea032992-feb6-48d4-a1c4-6424df5fe888_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:332654,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bwkz!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fea032992-feb6-48d4-a1c4-6424df5fe888_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bwkz!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fea032992-feb6-48d4-a1c4-6424df5fe888_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bwkz!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fea032992-feb6-48d4-a1c4-6424df5fe888_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bwkz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fea032992-feb6-48d4-a1c4-6424df5fe888_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>I am also pleased to announce that our regular newsletter schedule will resume soon. </p><p>I look forward to reconnecting with you and sharing more insights, updates, and inspiration on a regular basis.</p><p>Thank you for being part of this journey. </p><p>Your support means the world to me.</p><p>Warmest regards,</p><p>Ryan</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[a 20-minute guided shadow work journal meditation]]></title><description><![CDATA[A 20-minute guided meditation designed to complement shadow work journaling, particularly aligning with the 365-Day Journal Series available on Amazon.]]></description><link>https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/a-20-minute-guided-shadow-work-journal</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/a-20-minute-guided-shadow-work-journal</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 27 Nov 2023 13:50:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/youtube/w_728,c_limit/Lh1Ncr6AMmo" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><strong>NOTE: </strong>This is the 5th edition of the <strong><a href="https://healingthoughts.substack.com/t/community-resources">Community Resources</a> </strong>series. To view past issues, <strong><a href="https://healingthoughts.substack.com/t/community-resources">click here</a></strong>. </em></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><div><hr></div><p><strong>A 20-minute guided meditation designed to complement shadow work journaling, particularly aligning with the </strong><em><strong><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series">365-Day Journal Series</a></strong></em><strong> available on Amazon.</strong></p><div id="youtube2-Lh1Ncr6AMmo" class="youtube-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;videoId&quot;:&quot;Lh1Ncr6AMmo&quot;,&quot;startTime&quot;:null,&quot;endTime&quot;:null}" data-component-name="Youtube2ToDOM"><div class="youtube-inner"><iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Lh1Ncr6AMmo?rel=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;showinfo=0&amp;enablejsapi=0" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" gesture="media" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowautoplay="true" allowfullscreen="true" width="728" height="409"></iframe></div></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://amzn.to/47RZRVU&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;View 365-Day Series&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://amzn.to/47RZRVU"><span>View 365-Day Series</span></a></p><div><hr></div><ul><li><p><strong>Structure of the Video:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Introduction and setup (1 minute).</p></li><li><p>Grounding and initial meditation (2 minutes).</p></li><li><p>Visualization in a serene forest setting (3 minutes).</p></li><li><p>Interaction with the shadow self (3 minutes).</p></li><li><p>Transition from meditation to journaling (2 minutes).</p></li><li><p>Journaling session with background music (10 minutes).</p></li><li><p>Closing meditation and reflection (2 minutes).</p></li><li><p>Conclusion and farewell (1 minute).</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>Purpose:</strong> To create a ritualistic space for deeper self-exploration and subconscious unlocking through meditation and journaling.</p></li><li><p><strong>365-Day Journal Series:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Three journals designed for shadow work, mental health improvement, and self-discovery.</p></li><li><p>Each journal offers daily prompts and resources for a year-long journey of introspection.</p></li><li><p>The series is crafted to be used individually or collectively for a compounded effect.</p></li></ul></li><li><p><strong>Rationale:</strong> Inspired by the importance of rituals in professional training, the meditation acts as a pre-journaling ritual to enhance the depth and quality of journaling sessions.</p></li><li><p><strong>Audience Engagement:</strong> The video and journals are aimed at individuals seeking self-improvement, healing, and deeper self-awareness.</p></li><li><p><strong>Repetitive Use:</strong> The meditation is designed to be used repeatedly, deepening its impact and the user's self-discovery journey over time.</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h2><strong>Behind the Scenes</strong></h2><h4><strong>How This Meditation Came to Be</strong></h4><p>Obsessed. </p><p>That&#8217;s what I am. </p><p>With the way rituals sneak into our lives, wrapping themselves around our minds, molding not just habits but the very core of our being. </p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1CtV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70bd0cbf-0cd1-40ef-a65c-50cf2ebbc2ce_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1CtV!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70bd0cbf-0cd1-40ef-a65c-50cf2ebbc2ce_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1CtV!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70bd0cbf-0cd1-40ef-a65c-50cf2ebbc2ce_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1CtV!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70bd0cbf-0cd1-40ef-a65c-50cf2ebbc2ce_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1CtV!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70bd0cbf-0cd1-40ef-a65c-50cf2ebbc2ce_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1CtV!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70bd0cbf-0cd1-40ef-a65c-50cf2ebbc2ce_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/70bd0cbf-0cd1-40ef-a65c-50cf2ebbc2ce_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:852783,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1CtV!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70bd0cbf-0cd1-40ef-a65c-50cf2ebbc2ce_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1CtV!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70bd0cbf-0cd1-40ef-a65c-50cf2ebbc2ce_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1CtV!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70bd0cbf-0cd1-40ef-a65c-50cf2ebbc2ce_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1CtV!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70bd0cbf-0cd1-40ef-a65c-50cf2ebbc2ce_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>I saw it clearly&#8212;how the little things we do, day in and day out, hold the keys to something deeper. A chance to change. To find ourselves in places we didn&#8217;t even know existed.</p><p>And then it hit me. A <a href="http://Obsessed.   That&#8217;s what I am.   With the way rituals sneak into our lives, wrapping themselves around our minds, molding not just habits but the very core of our being.">guided meditation</a>. </p><p>But not just any meditation&#8212;no fluff, no empty zen nonsense. </p><p>I wanted a journey. A path carved out with intention, leading folks straight into the depths of their own minds. I pictured it: a series of vivid visuals, prompts that don&#8217;t just nudge, but shove. </p><p>Stepping stones, each one pulling the curtain back on the subconscious, piece by piece, layer by layer. This isn&#8217;t about escaping&#8212;it&#8217;s about digging in, unearthing the truths that get buried under the grind of life. A mental treasure hunt, if you will.</p><h3><strong>The Power of Routines and Rituals</strong></h3><p>Over the years, I've had a front-row seat to a variety of professionals in their element. Athletes suiting up for a game that could make or break them. Musicians lost in their pre-show rhythm. Surgeons scrubbing in with an intensity that screams focus. </p><p>Across all these scenes, one thing kept popping up&#8212;rituals. </p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4fZI!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F898bc245-9141-4ffc-9b77-0a2ba913b669_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4fZI!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F898bc245-9141-4ffc-9b77-0a2ba913b669_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4fZI!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F898bc245-9141-4ffc-9b77-0a2ba913b669_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4fZI!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F898bc245-9141-4ffc-9b77-0a2ba913b669_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4fZI!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F898bc245-9141-4ffc-9b77-0a2ba913b669_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4fZI!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F898bc245-9141-4ffc-9b77-0a2ba913b669_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/898bc245-9141-4ffc-9b77-0a2ba913b669_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:764601,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4fZI!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F898bc245-9141-4ffc-9b77-0a2ba913b669_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4fZI!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F898bc245-9141-4ffc-9b77-0a2ba913b669_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4fZI!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F898bc245-9141-4ffc-9b77-0a2ba913b669_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4fZI!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F898bc245-9141-4ffc-9b77-0a2ba913b669_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>What I saw was like a shield&#8212;rituals wrapping around them, blocking out the noise, the doubts, the distractions. A sanctuary in a storm. </p><p>They weren't just getting ready&#8212;they were getting <em>right</em>&#8212;mentally, emotionally, in every way. These rituals were the secret sauce, aligning everything inside to face whatever was coming at them.</p><p><em>And then, a thought came over me. </em></p><ul><li><p>What if this same magic could be bottled and used for something more personal? </p></li><li><p>What if the rituals that power athletes, musicians, and surgeons could be tweaked, reshaped, and applied to something like journaling? </p></li><li><p>Could creating a ritual around self-reflection turn it into something more powerful? </p></li><li><p>Could it transform journaling from just scribbling on paper into a deep dive into the soul? </p></li><li><p>Could it be the key to unlocking a richer, more meaningful path to self-awareness and growth?</p></li></ul><h4><strong>Creating a Ritual for Shadow Work Journaling</strong></h4><p>Journaling&#8212;especially shadow work journaling&#8212;has always felt like a raw, intimate dance with the self. You&#8217;re not just scribbling thoughts; you&#8217;re digging deep, unearthing the buried bits of your psyche, confronting shadows you&#8217;d rather ignore. </p><p><strong>But here&#8217;s the rub: </strong><em>getting into the right headspace, the one that really lets you explore those dark corners, isn&#8217;t always easy.</em></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XG7P!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdbd9f705-339a-4966-bd33-302417e75057_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XG7P!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdbd9f705-339a-4966-bd33-302417e75057_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XG7P!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdbd9f705-339a-4966-bd33-302417e75057_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XG7P!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdbd9f705-339a-4966-bd33-302417e75057_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XG7P!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdbd9f705-339a-4966-bd33-302417e75057_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XG7P!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdbd9f705-339a-4966-bd33-302417e75057_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/dbd9f705-339a-4966-bd33-302417e75057_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:799694,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XG7P!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdbd9f705-339a-4966-bd33-302417e75057_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XG7P!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdbd9f705-339a-4966-bd33-302417e75057_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XG7P!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdbd9f705-339a-4966-bd33-302417e75057_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XG7P!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdbd9f705-339a-4966-bd33-302417e75057_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>And this isn&#8217;t some small hurdle. No, it&#8217;s a serious block. You can&#8217;t just flip a switch and dive into deep self-reflection, especially when the task at hand is wrestling with the parts of yourself that like to stay hidden. You need more than just focus&#8212;you need to be mentally and emotionally aligned, ready to stare down whatever comes up from the depths.</p><p>So there I was, turning this problem over in my mind, and something clicked. </p><ul><li><p>What if you didn&#8217;t have to fight to get there? </p></li><li><p>What if there was a way to just&#8230; slip into that mindset? </p></li><li><p>To be gently nudged, guided even, into that space where real self-exploration happens? </p></li></ul><p>That&#8217;s when the idea took hold. A guided meditation. </p><p>Not just any meditation, but one crafted as a doorway&#8212;no, a ritual&#8212;to shadow work journaling. A smoother, surer way to step into the shadows, pen in hand, ready to face whatever comes up.</p><h3><strong>Birth of the 365-Day Journal Series</strong></h3><p>This idea sparked the creation of my <em><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series">365-Day Journal Series</a></em>. </p><p>A collection? No. </p><p>These journals are more like hand-picked tools, each one serving a purpose&#8212;helping people tap into self-discovery and healing in a way that feels... right. Each journal is a different path, leading to places most people don't even know they need to go.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:440568,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>When I started crafting these journals, it hit me&#8212;hard. Journaling isn&#8217;t just scribbling down thoughts and walking away. It&#8217;s a gut-wrenching, soul-shifting process. Each journal can be powerful, yes, but it needed more than ink on paper. If your mind and heart aren't in the right place, those pages are just... blank. </p><p>You need to be ready. </p><p>Ready to face yourself. </p><p>Ready to look inward and deal with whatever&#8217;s hiding there. </p><p>It's not just about the act of writing; it&#8217;s about showing up for yourself, prepared for the mess that might unfold.</p><p>Every single journal in the <em><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series">365-Day Series</a></em> has one goal: get you closer to <em>you.</em> </p><p>Day by day. </p><p>Each page, a breadcrumb on the trail to a deeper understanding. </p><p>But here's the thing&#8212;jumping into this kind of work without preparing your mind is like wandering into the woods with no clue where you're going. Pointless, really. </p><p>You need something to ground you first. A tool, a prelude, something to set the tone before diving into the mess of your mind. Without that, these journals are just pretty notebooks.</p><h3><strong>The Power of a Guided Meditation Video</strong></h3><p>As I kept mulling over how to create the perfect space for journaling, the idea of a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh1Ncr6AMmo">guided meditation</a> video popped into my head. Not just some prelude, but a vital piece of the whole journaling ritual. This video wouldn&#8217;t just be a &#8220;relax and unwind&#8221; moment&#8212;it&#8217;d be the spark that lights the fire, the nudge that pulls you into the zone for some serious self-reflection.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qvAw!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fed72e181-c15b-4701-83e4-eaa842f3a202_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qvAw!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fed72e181-c15b-4701-83e4-eaa842f3a202_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qvAw!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fed72e181-c15b-4701-83e4-eaa842f3a202_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qvAw!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fed72e181-c15b-4701-83e4-eaa842f3a202_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qvAw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fed72e181-c15b-4701-83e4-eaa842f3a202_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qvAw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fed72e181-c15b-4701-83e4-eaa842f3a202_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ed72e181-c15b-4701-83e4-eaa842f3a202_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:765208,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qvAw!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fed72e181-c15b-4701-83e4-eaa842f3a202_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qvAw!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fed72e181-c15b-4701-83e4-eaa842f3a202_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qvAw!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fed72e181-c15b-4701-83e4-eaa842f3a202_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!qvAw!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fed72e181-c15b-4701-83e4-eaa842f3a202_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>I pictured it as a bridge. A way to leave behind the noise of the outside world and step into a quieter, deeper space within. This meditation wouldn&#8217;t just calm you down; it&#8217;d guide you, step by step, into the mental landscape where real journaling magic happens. </p><p>Think of it as a mental reset button. </p><p>Visualizations, prompts&#8212;all designed to sync up with the themes in the <a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series">365-Day Journal Series</a>. Every word, every image, carefully chosen to help you dive deeper into your thoughts, setting the stage for real introspection.</p><p>This video, in my mind, had layers. </p><p>First, it&#8217;s the warm-up&#8212;a way to get your head in the game before you start writing. Then, it becomes a ritual, something you can lean on every time you need to tap into that reflective mindset. </p><p>Over time, it wouldn&#8217;t just be a video; it&#8217;d become the signal that you&#8217;re entering sacred territory&#8212;your time for self-discovery. Every session with it would be a step into that inner world, marking the start of something meaningful.</p><h4><strong>The Ritual of Journaling and Meditation</strong></h4><p>When I crafted <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh1Ncr6AMmo">this video meditation</a>, I wasn&#8217;t just aiming for a practice&#8212;I wanted to build a ritual. Something that seeps into your daily routine, a sacred moment you return to, day after day. Each session isn&#8217;t just a repeat of the last, but a spiral, taking you deeper into self-awareness, nudging you closer to your core.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1kpz!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b880b0d-1e4c-4251-b927-edd0f504ff9e_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1kpz!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b880b0d-1e4c-4251-b927-edd0f504ff9e_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1kpz!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b880b0d-1e4c-4251-b927-edd0f504ff9e_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1kpz!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b880b0d-1e4c-4251-b927-edd0f504ff9e_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1kpz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b880b0d-1e4c-4251-b927-edd0f504ff9e_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1kpz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b880b0d-1e4c-4251-b927-edd0f504ff9e_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6b880b0d-1e4c-4251-b927-edd0f504ff9e_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:692338,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1kpz!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b880b0d-1e4c-4251-b927-edd0f504ff9e_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1kpz!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b880b0d-1e4c-4251-b927-edd0f504ff9e_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1kpz!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b880b0d-1e4c-4251-b927-edd0f504ff9e_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!1kpz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b880b0d-1e4c-4251-b927-edd0f504ff9e_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh1Ncr6AMmo">meditation</a> isn&#8217;t just a nice-to-have. It&#8217;s designed to become a habit, a daily touchstone. Something you look forward to, a consistent pause in the chaos. </p><p>Why? </p><p>Because that consistency matters. </p><p>It&#8217;s what anchors the habit of introspection. </p><p>By starting your journaling sessions with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh1Ncr6AMmo">this meditation</a>, it becomes the essential first step. A bridge, if you will. From the noise of everyday life to the quiet needed for true self-discovery.</p><p>But this isn&#8217;t just another tool. It&#8217;s an invitation. </p><p>An open call to those who want more than just a skim across the surface of their thoughts. It&#8217;s for the ones ready to go deeper, to push past the easy stuff and dive into real, transformative self-exploration. </p><p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh1Ncr6AMmo">meditation video</a> and <a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series">journal series</a> together are not just guides. They&#8217;re your companions on this journey, pushing you beyond basic reflection into the depths where real change happens.</p><h3><em><strong>&#8212;Ryan Puusaari</strong></em></h3><p><em><strong>P.S.</strong> Your time and engagement with this edition mean a lot. Every reader adds value to our journey together. Thank you for being here!</em></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:37761,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em><strong>P.S.S.</strong> </em>"<em>Rituals are the breadcrumbs we leave for our soul to find its way back to healing."</em></p><div><hr></div><h3>Stepping into yourself&#8212;bold move. <em>Props to you for that.</em></h3><p>But don&#8217;t kid yourself; this isn&#8217;t a one-and-done deal. It&#8217;s a relentless trek inward, and trust me, it never really stops, just shifts and twists with time.</p><p>And to give you a hand, here&#8217;s something I&#8217;m stoked about: <strong><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series">the 365-Day Shadow Work Series</a></strong>. Think of it as your deep dive into self&#8212;no fluff, just real, raw reflection.</p><p>This series doesn&#8217;t play around.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:440568,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>It throws you into the thick of it, with pointed questions that push you through the muck of sadness, self-doubt, and grudges.</p><p>Every page, crafted to steer you, challenge you, and yeah, maybe even break you open a little. It&#8217;s not just a journal&#8212;it&#8217;s your new ritual in self-discovery.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Learn More About the Series&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series"><span>Learn More About the Series</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Before You Go</h3><ul><li><p>Dive into the latest posts in the <em><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/archive">archives</a></em>.</p></li><li><p>Learn more about <em><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/p/official-bio-ryan-puusaari">me</a></em>, <em><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/about">this newsletter</a></em>, or <em>my <a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/p/from-isolated-despair-in-my-car-to">daily texts</a></em>.</p></li><li><p>Explore my <em><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/">journals</a></em> and <em><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/">books</a></em> over at <em><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/">Wood Island Books</a></em>.</p></li><li><p>Follow me on <em><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/p/my-social-media-odyssey-from-short">social media</a></em> for daily inspiration and updates.</p></li><li><p>Check out my <em><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/p/books-a-lifelong-affair-with-words">recommended reading list</a></em> for must-read books and authors.</p></li><li><p>View my <em><a href="https://healingthoughts.shop/#!/">exclusive merch collection</a></em>&#8212;designed to inspire and uplift.</p></li><li><p>Have questions or thoughts? I am just an email away&#8212;<em><a href="https://www.ryanpuusaari.com/">reach out anytime</a></em>.</p></li></ul>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[from isolated despair to collective healing]]></title><description><![CDATA[My only companion was a worn journal. Though it looked ordinary, those pages became a sacred space where I could unleash my fears, regrets, and yearnings.]]></description><link>https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/from-isolated-despair-in-my-car-to</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/from-isolated-despair-in-my-car-to</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 02 Nov 2023 12:50:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KqJq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffcde79ea-3490-4eba-adc8-94e3fff7f139_800x400.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>Here&#8217;s what people are saying about this transformative community:</h3><blockquote><p>&#8220;Thank you for your texts. While they may apply to so many people who are hurting, they are far more than anything as generic as a meme or a horoscope or the like. They hit right in the gut and the heart because - honestly it's hard to trust anyone you find on social media - everything you say feels like it's genuine. And for those of us who *get it* it really does come across that way to me. So, thank you.&#8221;</p></blockquote><blockquote><p><strong>&#8220;You enlighten my soul everyday just by being you. Your journey really hits a special place within me!! You have made me realize I can do this, it won't be easy, but i can do it. Thank you for each and everything you do Ryan i really do appreciate you.&#8221;</strong></p></blockquote><blockquote><p>&#8220;Yep. Opened a whole ass business with that hope. I'm a hairdresser and the amount of clients I've helped get started in healing is just the best thing.&#8221;</p></blockquote><blockquote><p><strong>&#8220;Thank you for your dedication to these messages, l've been going through a really hard time lately &amp; it seems they &#8230;</strong></p></blockquote>
      <p>
          <a href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/from-isolated-despair-in-my-car-to">
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          </a>
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   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[from short clips to a digital empire]]></title><description><![CDATA[Each platform amplified my journey: TikTok with mindfulness, Instagram through stories, Facebook in community, Twitter with insights, Pinterest for inspiration, and LinkedIn for career growth.]]></description><link>https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/my-social-media-odyssey-from-short</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/my-social-media-odyssey-from-short</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 26 Oct 2023 12:50:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yn3-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8042d422-1d1a-437a-a6a3-2fc46f432af0_800x400.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Each post, story, and video I put out has one goal: <em>to reach the ones who feel lost in this big, chaotic mess we call life. </em></p><p>I know what it&#8217;s like to carry that weight, to feel like you&#8217;re drifting in a sea of faces without a single one really seeing you. </p><p>I&#8217;m here to change that. </p><p>To create a space where you&#8217;re not just another face in the crowd, but someone who&#8217;s seen, heard, and understood.</p><p>My social media journey started as my own lifeline, a way to heal myself while hopefully sparking something in others, guiding them toward their own paths of recovery, growth, whatever it is they need.</p><p><strong>Jump to a Section</strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/i/137987454/tiktok">TikTok</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/i/137987454/instagram">Instagram</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/i/137987454/facebook">Facebook</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/i/137987454/twitter-&#120143;"><s>Twitter</s> </a><strong><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/i/137987454/twitter-&#120143;">&#120143;</a></strong></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/i/137987454/pinterest">Pinterest</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/i/137987454/linkedin">LinkedIn</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/i/137987454/youtube">YouTube</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/i/137987454/threads">Threads</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/i/137987454/journey-to-dreams-realized">Support</a></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h3>TikTok</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ryanpuusaari" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yn3-!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8042d422-1d1a-437a-a6a3-2fc46f432af0_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yn3-!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8042d422-1d1a-437a-a6a3-2fc46f432af0_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yn3-!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8042d422-1d1a-437a-a6a3-2fc46f432af0_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yn3-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8042d422-1d1a-437a-a6a3-2fc46f432af0_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yn3-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8042d422-1d1a-437a-a6a3-2fc46f432af0_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8042d422-1d1a-437a-a6a3-2fc46f432af0_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:371143,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://www.tiktok.com/@ryanpuusaari&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yn3-!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8042d422-1d1a-437a-a6a3-2fc46f432af0_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yn3-!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8042d422-1d1a-437a-a6a3-2fc46f432af0_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yn3-!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8042d422-1d1a-437a-a6a3-2fc46f432af0_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yn3-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8042d422-1d1a-437a-a6a3-2fc46f432af0_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>When I first stepped into the chaotic, ever-shifting world of the digital landscape, <em><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ryanpuusaari">TikTok</a></em> quickly became my playground. A place where time seemed to bend, letting me share flashes of my life in mere seconds. </p><p>It felt like standing on a precipice, the wind howling around me, daring me to leap into the unknown. This platform&#8212;brimming with creativity and disorder&#8212;offered something unique. It was a chance to connect with people who needed it, in a way that was both simple and unexpectedly profound.</p><p>Each time I hit "record," I felt a jolt of anticipation. </p><p>My heart would race, knowing that the snippet I was about to share&#8212;whether a quick breath of mindfulness, a quote that struck me deeply, or a tiny reflection&#8212;might be just what someone needed. </p><p>Just 15 seconds. </p><p>That&#8217;s all it took to offer a pause, a brief escape from the chaos of their thoughts.</p><p>And then, I watched these small creations take on a life of their own. A quote, hastily scribbled in my journal, something intensely personal, could suddenly resonate with thousands. </p><p>The comments flowed in&#8212;gratitude, shared experiences, stories of their own struggles. Each one felt like a spark, igniting something bigger.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.tiktok.com/@ryanpuusaari&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;View TikTok Profile&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ryanpuusaari"><span>View TikTok Profile</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Instagram</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://instagram.com/ryanpuusaari" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_Xql!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F220bffb6-65eb-46f7-9740-71108c718a2d_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_Xql!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F220bffb6-65eb-46f7-9740-71108c718a2d_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_Xql!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F220bffb6-65eb-46f7-9740-71108c718a2d_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_Xql!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F220bffb6-65eb-46f7-9740-71108c718a2d_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_Xql!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F220bffb6-65eb-46f7-9740-71108c718a2d_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/220bffb6-65eb-46f7-9740-71108c718a2d_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:471827,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://instagram.com/ryanpuusaari&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_Xql!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F220bffb6-65eb-46f7-9740-71108c718a2d_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_Xql!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F220bffb6-65eb-46f7-9740-71108c718a2d_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_Xql!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F220bffb6-65eb-46f7-9740-71108c718a2d_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_Xql!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F220bffb6-65eb-46f7-9740-71108c718a2d_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>I needed a bigger stage. </p><p>A place to spill my life in full color. So I wandered over to <em><a href="https://instagram.com/ryanpuusaari">Instagram</a></em>. </p><p>But it wasn&#8217;t just an app&#8212;it felt like throwing open a window, letting in the breeze of connection and the warm light of endless possibilities. </p><p>Scrolling through those vivid snapshots and crafting each post, I could almost feel life thrumming through my fingers, syncing with the beat of my heart.</p><p>Each photo was more than just a picture. </p><p>It was a slice of my story, raw and unfiltered. </p><p>The doubts that fogged my days. The moments of clarity that pulled me back into the light. They all found a home in those images. Fragments of my mind, emotions I couldn&#8217;t quite pin down with words.</p><p>And then there were the Stories. </p><p>Quick. Fleeting. </p><p>Blink-and-you&#8217;ll-miss-it glimpses that somehow captured the magic of the here and now. Filming bits of my day, spilling spontaneous thoughts, sharing the small joys and stumbles of daily life&#8212;those Stories became something more. </p><p>Proof. </p><p>Of living in the moment. </p><p>Of embracing every twist. </p><p>Of finding beauty in the fleeting.</p><p>In those moments&#8212;when the light hit just right or the words flowed without a hitch&#8212;I felt alive. </p><p>Truly alive. </p><p>In tune with myself and everyone on the other side of the screen. </p><p><em><a href="https://instagram.com/ryanpuusaari">Instagram</a></em> wasn&#8217;t just a platform; it was a living, breathing chronicle of my growth. A place to mark every peak and valley of my journey. Reminding me that every second, every emotion, deserved its own chapter in the story I was writing.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://instagram.com/ryanpuusaari&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;View Instagram Profile&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://instagram.com/ryanpuusaari"><span>View Instagram Profile</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Facebook</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/ryanpuusaari" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!h1yE!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F20a2d608-1745-4d3b-981a-a2a15e17a76d_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!h1yE!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F20a2d608-1745-4d3b-981a-a2a15e17a76d_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!h1yE!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F20a2d608-1745-4d3b-981a-a2a15e17a76d_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!h1yE!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F20a2d608-1745-4d3b-981a-a2a15e17a76d_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!h1yE!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F20a2d608-1745-4d3b-981a-a2a15e17a76d_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/20a2d608-1745-4d3b-981a-a2a15e17a76d_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:504766,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://www.facebook.com/ryanpuusaari&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!h1yE!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F20a2d608-1745-4d3b-981a-a2a15e17a76d_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!h1yE!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F20a2d608-1745-4d3b-981a-a2a15e17a76d_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!h1yE!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F20a2d608-1745-4d3b-981a-a2a15e17a76d_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!h1yE!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F20a2d608-1745-4d3b-981a-a2a15e17a76d_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ryanpuusaari">Facebook</a></em> became my refuge. A digital hearth. </p><p>The warmth of community healing radiated from every post, every comment. </p><p>It wasn&#8217;t just another platform&#8212;it was a gathering place, where connection wasn&#8217;t just possible, it was inevitable. Each login felt like stepping into a sacred space, a sanctuary where support and empathy flowed freely, weaving through the stories of everyone who showed up.</p><p>I started small. </p><p>Just some uplifting quotes, words that reached into those deep, unspoken corners of our shared experience. Every like, every share sent ripples out into the ether. I could almost feel those words stretching out, touching hearts I couldn&#8217;t see but knew were there. </p><p>The comments, the conversations&#8212;they were sparks. </p><p>Tiny but powerful. </p><p>They ignited something real&#8212;a sense of belonging, of being truly seen.</p><p>And then came the live meditations. </p><p>Preparing for each session brought that familiar mix of nerves and excitement. Sitting in front of my camera, I&#8217;d breathe deep, centering myself, ready to open that virtual door to anyone who needed it. </p><p>Once the session began, time seemed to slow down. </p><p>The distance between us&#8230;</p><p>Gone. </p><p>The collective calm settled in, like a soft blanket of peace wrapping around everyone. Those quiet moments, shared breaths, just being together in that space&#8212;it was pure magic.</p><p><em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ryanpuusaari">Facebook</a></em> became more than a hub. </p><p>It was alive. </p><p>Breathing. </p><p>Pulsing with the energy of deep discussions and group growth. </p><p>I watched people open up, laying bare their struggles, their victories, their fears, and their hopes. We weren&#8217;t just talking. We were creating something beautiful&#8212;a collective tale of human experience. </p><p>Each comment a story, a journey. </p><p>And in the middle of it all, I found my own healing, too. Each interaction, every shared moment, was a reminder. </p><p>We&#8217;re never really alone on this path. </p><p>We walk it together. Hand in hand. Heart to heart.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.facebook.com/ryanpuusaari&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;View Facebook Profile&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.facebook.com/ryanpuusaari"><span>View Facebook Profile</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3><s>Twitter</s> <strong>&#120143;</strong></h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://x.com/RyanPuusaari" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fPHS!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c123c2b-695e-4524-8595-0ca8cb15b5da_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fPHS!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c123c2b-695e-4524-8595-0ca8cb15b5da_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fPHS!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c123c2b-695e-4524-8595-0ca8cb15b5da_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fPHS!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c123c2b-695e-4524-8595-0ca8cb15b5da_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fPHS!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c123c2b-695e-4524-8595-0ca8cb15b5da_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8c123c2b-695e-4524-8595-0ca8cb15b5da_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:266096,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://x.com/RyanPuusaari&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fPHS!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c123c2b-695e-4524-8595-0ca8cb15b5da_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fPHS!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c123c2b-695e-4524-8595-0ca8cb15b5da_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fPHS!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c123c2b-695e-4524-8595-0ca8cb15b5da_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fPHS!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8c123c2b-695e-4524-8595-0ca8cb15b5da_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>On <a href="https://x.com/RyanPuusaari">&#120143;</a>&#8212;what used to be <em><a href="https://x.com/RyanPuusaari">Twitter</a></em>&#8212;I uncovered the sheer force of concise wisdom. </p><p>It felt like stepping onto a stage where every single word had to pull its weight, where brevity was a skill that could carry the weight of a thousand thoughts. </p><p>Just 280 characters. That&#8217;s all I had. </p><p>But it was enough to distill my reflections, to capture the core of an idea with sharp clarity. Each word had to hold its own, yet also contribute to something larger.</p><p>Each time I typed out a tweet, there was a hum of excitement. </p><p>A flicker of possibility. </p><p>The idea that these few words, in such a small space, might ripple out into the world, touching minds and hearts I&#8217;d never know. It was almost sacred, realizing that these characters weren&#8217;t just pixels&#8212;they were sparks. </p><p>Tiny bursts of inspiration, bits of motivation, flickers of hope sent out into the digital world to ignite something in someone, somewhere.</p><p>Hitting <em>"send</em>" wasn&#8217;t just a click. </p><p>It was a pause. </p><p>A moment to wonder where those words might land. </p><p>Would they brighten someone&#8217;s day? Shift their perspective? Even just a little? </p><p>It felt like I was tapping into a shared current, taking the pulse of our collective human experience. Each tweet, brief as it was, became a thread connecting us, a reminder that we&#8217;re all in this together.</p><p>And then, as the replies, retweets, and likes started rolling in, it struck me again and again&#8212;we&#8217;re all navigating this journey together. Each interaction was a nod, an acknowledgment that we&#8217;re all searching, learning, growing. </p><p>Even in the fast-paced swirl of digital noise, there&#8217;s space for depth. </p><p>For connection. </p><p>For wisdom shared in just a handful of words. </p><p><a href="https://x.com/RyanPuusaari">&#120143;</a> showed me that it&#8217;s not about the quantity of words but their impact. And in that, I found a power that deeply resonated with my purpose.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://twitter.com/RyanPuusaari&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;View &#120143; Profile&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://twitter.com/RyanPuusaari"><span>View &#120143; Profile</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Pinterest</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://www.pinterest.com/ryanpuusaari/" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PjEQ!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b99bcd8-eac5-4206-8dd5-777dca5397e4_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PjEQ!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b99bcd8-eac5-4206-8dd5-777dca5397e4_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PjEQ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b99bcd8-eac5-4206-8dd5-777dca5397e4_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PjEQ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b99bcd8-eac5-4206-8dd5-777dca5397e4_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PjEQ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b99bcd8-eac5-4206-8dd5-777dca5397e4_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/2b99bcd8-eac5-4206-8dd5-777dca5397e4_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:374680,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://www.pinterest.com/ryanpuusaari/&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PjEQ!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b99bcd8-eac5-4206-8dd5-777dca5397e4_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PjEQ!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b99bcd8-eac5-4206-8dd5-777dca5397e4_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PjEQ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b99bcd8-eac5-4206-8dd5-777dca5397e4_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PjEQ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b99bcd8-eac5-4206-8dd5-777dca5397e4_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/ryanpuusaari/">Pinterest</a></em>. </p><p>A seemingly endless maze of images, ideas, and inspiration. </p><p>It quickly became my personal haven&#8212;a visual sanctuary where creativity and self-discovery thrived. Like wandering through a vast library, each board was a carefully curated anthology, every pin a page in a book that never stopped growing. I found myself drawn deeper into this space, where gathering and organizing felt less like a task and more like meditation, a way to anchor myself amidst life's chaos.</p><p>I started with boards dedicated to affirmations. </p><p>Each pin was a tiny piece of positivity, a visual mantra reminding me&#8212;and anyone else scrolling&#8212;of the power of words to shape our thoughts and lives. </p><p>I&#8217;d sift through an ocean of images, hunting for those that spoke to something deeper, that captured the essence of what I wanted to share. These boards transformed from mere collections into living, breathing entities, evolving with each new addition, each pin a milestone on my path to self-growth.</p><p>Then came the self-care routines. </p><p>I meticulously gathered ideas like collecting rare gems&#8212;rituals of kindness, gentle nudges to pause, breathe, and take a moment for oneself. Each pin was chosen with intent, like selecting the perfect stones to pave a path inward, toward peace and restoration. </p><p>As I pinned each image, I could almost feel the calm washing over me, a quiet reassurance that these practices weren&#8217;t indulgences, but essentials for a balanced, fulfilled life.</p><p>And let&#8217;s not forget the personal development resources. </p><p>Boards overflowing with books, articles, and guides promising growth and transformation. It was like assembling a toolkit for the soul, every resource a key to unlocking a different part of the self. </p><p>As I added to these boards, I felt purpose. They weren&#8217;t just for me; they were for anyone searching to enrich their lives, to dig deeper into their personal journey.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.pinterest.com/ryanpuusaari/&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;View Pinterest Profile&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.pinterest.com/ryanpuusaari/"><span>View Pinterest Profile</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>LinkedIn</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rpuusaari/" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6-x5!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F548f8800-00d8-48e6-98dc-779bafdca6d1_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6-x5!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F548f8800-00d8-48e6-98dc-779bafdca6d1_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6-x5!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F548f8800-00d8-48e6-98dc-779bafdca6d1_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6-x5!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F548f8800-00d8-48e6-98dc-779bafdca6d1_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6-x5!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F548f8800-00d8-48e6-98dc-779bafdca6d1_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/548f8800-00d8-48e6-98dc-779bafdca6d1_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:347325,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://www.linkedin.com/in/rpuusaari/&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6-x5!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F548f8800-00d8-48e6-98dc-779bafdca6d1_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6-x5!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F548f8800-00d8-48e6-98dc-779bafdca6d1_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6-x5!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F548f8800-00d8-48e6-98dc-779bafdca6d1_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6-x5!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F548f8800-00d8-48e6-98dc-779bafdca6d1_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rpuusaari/">LinkedIn</a></em>. </p><p>It wasn&#8217;t just another platform&#8212;it was a stage. </p><p>A place where personal growth and professional ambition collided, creating a space where the shiny corporate facade could crack open, revealing the deeper, messier layers of human experience. </p><p>This platform felt different. </p><p>The words I chose carried a different weight, a certain gravity. Each post wasn&#8217;t just about starting a conversation; it was about triggering a shift. A shift in how we think about success, leadership, and what it really means to thrive in a workplace that often demands more than it gives.</p><p>I kicked things off with articles on emotional intelligence, unpacking the tangled web of emotions we navigate&#8212;not just our own, but those of colleagues, clients, and bosses. Writing these posts, I imagined them as small stones tossed into a vast pond, each ripple reaching out to touch someone who might be drowning in the unspoken, unseen challenges of corporate life. I wanted to reach those who felt torn between their personal and professional selves, to show them that these worlds aren&#8217;t opposites&#8212;they&#8217;re deeply, beautifully intertwined.</p><p>Then came the posts on leadership empathy. </p><p>Writing them felt like cracking open the windows of a stuffy boardroom, letting in fresh air and new ways of thinking. I pictured leaders scrolling through their feeds, stopping at my post, feeling that nudge&#8212;that reminder. </p><p>Leadership isn&#8217;t just about numbers and bottom lines. </p><p>It&#8217;s about people. </p><p>It&#8217;s about caring for the ones who drive those results. </p><p>Each post was a subtle prod, urging leaders to lead with heart, to understand that real authority isn&#8217;t about power&#8212;it&#8217;s about connection, compassion, and seeing the human being behind the job title.</p><p>Mental well-being at work became another central theme. </p><p>It wasn&#8217;t just another topic; it was urgent. I thought of the countless professionals pushing themselves to the edge, mistaking burnout for success, viewing vulnerability as a flaw. </p><p>I wanted my words to be a lifeline. </p><p>A gentle reminder that mental health isn&#8217;t negotiable&#8212;it&#8217;s non-negotiable. I pictured someone, exhausted after a brutal day, reading my post and feeling a shift. </p><p>Maybe just a small one. </p><p>But enough to consider that it&#8217;s okay to pause. </p><p>To breathe. To choose well-being over the endless grind.</p><p>For me, <em><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rpuusaari/">LinkedIn</a></em> became more than a networking site. </p><p>It was a bridge. </p><p>A bridge connecting personal introspection with career advancement, where the lessons learned in self-awareness and emotional insight didn&#8217;t just stay in the realm of the personal&#8212;they spilled over, enriching careers, creating not just successful professionals, but fulfilled human beings. </p><p>It was where I could share these insights with a community of driven individuals, all on their own quests to align who they are with what they do, seeking meaning and purpose in a world that often forgets to look beyond the resume.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.linkedin.com/in/rpuusaari/&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;View LinkedIn Profile&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rpuusaari/"><span>View LinkedIn Profile</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>YouTube</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/@ryanpuusaari" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9vh6!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F556b207c-6dbf-47e8-a080-962450835ef5_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9vh6!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F556b207c-6dbf-47e8-a080-962450835ef5_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9vh6!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F556b207c-6dbf-47e8-a080-962450835ef5_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9vh6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F556b207c-6dbf-47e8-a080-962450835ef5_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9vh6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F556b207c-6dbf-47e8-a080-962450835ef5_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/556b207c-6dbf-47e8-a080-962450835ef5_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:753092,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://www.youtube.com/@ryanpuusaari&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9vh6!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F556b207c-6dbf-47e8-a080-962450835ef5_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9vh6!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F556b207c-6dbf-47e8-a080-962450835ef5_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9vh6!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F556b207c-6dbf-47e8-a080-962450835ef5_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9vh6!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F556b207c-6dbf-47e8-a080-962450835ef5_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ryanpuusaari">YouTube</a></em>, with its endless reach and limitless possibilities, became my gateway to go deep&#8212;deeper than I&#8217;d ever gone before. </p><p>Not just a platform. More like an ocean. </p><p>Vast, teeming with potential, a place where I could dive into the topics that truly mattered. Sitting in front of the camera, the red record button glowing like a signal flare, I felt that familiar surge of anticipation. </p><p>Here, I could really connect. </p><p>Here, I could peel back layers, explore ideas thoroughly, and engage with a global audience on a level that other platforms just couldn&#8217;t match.</p><p>Each video was more than just content. </p><p>It was a conversation. </p><p>Intimate. </p><p>Personal. </p><p>A direct line to the hearts and minds of viewers scattered across the world. </p><p>I&#8217;d break down complex ideas, making them simple, relatable. I imagined my audience&#8212;people I&#8217;d never met but felt a bond with&#8212;nodding along, maybe pausing to jot down a thought, or cracking a smile when something hit home. It wasn&#8217;t just about sharing knowledge; it was about sparking understanding, creating a dialogue that lingered beyond the screen.</p><p>Guided meditations became another pillar of my YouTube experience. </p><p>Crafting each session, I could almost feel the collective sighs of those who&#8217;d follow along, their stresses unraveling with each exhale. I pictured quiet rooms, my voice echoing softly, the glow of screens lighting peaceful faces, eyes closed, surrendering to the moment. </p><p>These weren&#8217;t just relaxation exercises&#8212;they were bridges. Connecting us all in a shared experience, no matter the distance, drawing us into a few minutes of calm and clarity.</p><p><em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@ryanpuusaari">YouTube</a></em> became more than a channel. </p><p>It was a space for collective growth and understanding. </p><p>A gathering place where ideas could take root and bloom, where people from all walks of life came together to learn, heal, and evolve. </p><p>Watching the comments roll in, the likes add up, the views climb, I felt something deeper than satisfaction. </p><p>This wasn&#8217;t just about making videos; it was a mission. </p><p>A calling to nurture a global community, united by a shared longing to live more fully, more mindfully, more connected&#8212;to themselves and to each other.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.youtube.com/@ryanpuusaari&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;View YouTube Profile&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.youtube.com/@ryanpuusaari"><span>View YouTube Profile</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Threads</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://www.threads.net/@ryanpuusaari" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TdOx!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64db11a5-6155-4f57-8b95-a16c9b33b98f_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TdOx!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64db11a5-6155-4f57-8b95-a16c9b33b98f_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TdOx!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64db11a5-6155-4f57-8b95-a16c9b33b98f_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TdOx!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64db11a5-6155-4f57-8b95-a16c9b33b98f_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TdOx!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64db11a5-6155-4f57-8b95-a16c9b33b98f_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/64db11a5-6155-4f57-8b95-a16c9b33b98f_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:687909,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://www.threads.net/@ryanpuusaari&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TdOx!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64db11a5-6155-4f57-8b95-a16c9b33b98f_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TdOx!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64db11a5-6155-4f57-8b95-a16c9b33b98f_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TdOx!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64db11a5-6155-4f57-8b95-a16c9b33b98f_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TdOx!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F64db11a5-6155-4f57-8b95-a16c9b33b98f_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em><a href="https://www.threads.net/@ryanpuusaari">Threads</a></em> emerged, not just another digital space, but a hidden gem. </p><p>A quiet corner tucked away from the chaos of the online world, where the noise fades and the connection deepens. It wasn&#8217;t just a platform; it was a sanctuary. A place for those moments that slip through the cracks elsewhere, those intimate thoughts that don&#8217;t always fit in the broad strokes of social media. </p><p>As I explored it, there was a spark of excitement. </p><p>This was where I could truly reach those who had been with me on this journey, who had become more than followers&#8212;kindred spirits.</p><p>Crafting my first post on <em><a href="https://www.threads.net/@ryanpuusaari">Threads</a></em> felt like settling into a conversation with an old friend. Someone who already knew the headlines but wanted the story behind them. </p><p>No need for perfection here. </p><p>No pressure to shine. Just raw, real talk. </p><p>Each thread I wove was a piece of my heart, stitched together to reveal more than just the polished highlights. I shared the doubts, the small wins, the quiet moments that have shaped me.</p><p><em><a href="https://www.threads.net/@ryanpuusaari">Threads</a></em> gave me space to dig deeper, to peel back the layers and expose the truths that often stay hidden. I could talk about growth, healing, and the lessons learned along the way. Vulnerability wasn&#8217;t a buzzword; it was the currency. Trust wasn&#8217;t just a concept; it was the bond that grew stronger with every post, every exchange.</p><p>The platform&#8217;s focus on close connections made it feel like an oasis in the vast desert of digital life. A place to breathe. To just be. </p><p>The interactions on <em><a href="https://www.threads.net/@ryanpuusaari">Threads</a></em> weren&#8217;t surface-level; they were genuine, deep, real. </p><p>It was as if the usual barriers that separate us online had dissolved, leaving us open, exposed, but in the best way&#8212;ready to truly see and be seen.</p><p>Every time I posted, I pictured my closest followers reading, not just scrolling. </p><p>Pausing. </p><p>Reflecting. </p><p>Maybe even seeing a piece of their own journey in mine. </p><p>That&#8217;s where the magic of <em><a href="https://www.threads.net/@ryanpuusaari">Threads</a></em> lies. </p><p>It&#8217;s a place where real conversations happen, where digital distance shrinks, and what&#8217;s left is a sense of togetherness. </p><p>A shared humanity. </p><p><em><a href="https://www.threads.net/@ryanpuusaari">Threads</a></em> wasn&#8217;t just another tool in my digital arsenal; it was a haven. A place where connections could deepen, where our lives could intertwine in ways that mattered.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.threads.net/@ryanpuusaari&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Threads&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.threads.net/@ryanpuusaari"><span>Threads</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Journey to Dreams Realized</strong></h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QDym!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c0bf8b1-ec49-4afb-86b2-1a76526ec5c9_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QDym!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c0bf8b1-ec49-4afb-86b2-1a76526ec5c9_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QDym!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c0bf8b1-ec49-4afb-86b2-1a76526ec5c9_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QDym!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c0bf8b1-ec49-4afb-86b2-1a76526ec5c9_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QDym!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c0bf8b1-ec49-4afb-86b2-1a76526ec5c9_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QDym!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c0bf8b1-ec49-4afb-86b2-1a76526ec5c9_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5c0bf8b1-ec49-4afb-86b2-1a76526ec5c9_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:834060,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QDym!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c0bf8b1-ec49-4afb-86b2-1a76526ec5c9_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QDym!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c0bf8b1-ec49-4afb-86b2-1a76526ec5c9_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QDym!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c0bf8b1-ec49-4afb-86b2-1a76526ec5c9_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QDym!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5c0bf8b1-ec49-4afb-86b2-1a76526ec5c9_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Words have always been my refuge. </p><p>My escape when the world gets too chaotic, too loud, too much. </p><p>They&#8217;re my fuel, the spark that keeps my spirit alive, even when everything feels dark. From losing myself in the rich stories of legendary authors as a kid, to scrolling through the rapid-fire thoughts and ideas on social media&#8212;each story has shaped me, left its mark. </p><p>These experiences didn&#8217;t just fill my mind; they lit a fire inside me&#8212;a burning drive to become a full-time content creator. I want to carve out a space where my words, my ideas, my voice, can resonate and find a home with others.</p><p>Social media is a wild, sprawling universe. </p><p>A place where creativity and chaos collide. </p><p>Endless possibilities, but also endless noise. </p><p>Yet, in this digital storm, I feel a sense of purpose, a steady, clear determination. </p><p>I&#8217;m not wandering aimlessly; I&#8217;m here to make my mark. </p><p>Every post, every video, every story&#8212;it&#8217;s all part of a bigger picture. A climb toward a dream that&#8217;s both exhilarating and daunting. Each piece of content is another step closer to turning this passion into something real&#8212;a full-time gig where I get to wake up every day and do what I love.</p><p>But here&#8217;s the thing. </p><p>It&#8217;s not just about me. </p><p>Beyond the screens, beyond the likes and shares, it&#8217;s about building something that matters. Something that lasts. I want my voice to resonate, to inspire, to make people think, feel, act. </p><p>A voice that cuts through the noise and hits home. </p><p>But I know I&#8217;m not doing this alone. </p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p>This journey is ours. </p><p>A partnership. </p><p>A back-and-forth between creator and community, between dreamer and believers. </p><p>Each piece of content I put out is only half the story. The other half&#8212;that&#8217;s you. </p><p>Your engagement. </p><p>Your feedback. Your support.</p><p>When you subscribe, follow, engage&#8212;you&#8217;re doing more than just consuming content. </p><p>You&#8217;re fueling this journey. </p><p>You&#8217;re the momentum that keeps me climbing, even when it gets tough. Your support is the spark that turns this dream into a living, breathing reality. </p><p>Together, we&#8217;re building something powerful. </p><p>Something that stands out in the vast, ever-changing landscape of social media. </p><p>It&#8217;s not just about becoming a recognized voice&#8212;it&#8217;s about creating a space where our voices unite to make an impact, to inspire change, to build a community fueled by creativity, connection, and shared dreams.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Every Gesture Amplifies the Dream</strong></h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WdDV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01e8acc-91ac-4270-b687-08800f0de790_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WdDV!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01e8acc-91ac-4270-b687-08800f0de790_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WdDV!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01e8acc-91ac-4270-b687-08800f0de790_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WdDV!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01e8acc-91ac-4270-b687-08800f0de790_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WdDV!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01e8acc-91ac-4270-b687-08800f0de790_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WdDV!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01e8acc-91ac-4270-b687-08800f0de790_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c01e8acc-91ac-4270-b687-08800f0de790_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:767622,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WdDV!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01e8acc-91ac-4270-b687-08800f0de790_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WdDV!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01e8acc-91ac-4270-b687-08800f0de790_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WdDV!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01e8acc-91ac-4270-b687-08800f0de790_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!WdDV!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc01e8acc-91ac-4270-b687-08800f0de790_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>If committing to a premium subscription isn&#8217;t in the cards right now, hear me out&#8212;I want you to <em>really</em> hear this: Your engagement, your feedback, and just spreading the word is&#8230; </p><p><em>Priceless. </em></p><p>Seriously, don&#8217;t underestimate the impact of small actions. </p><p>Every like, every share, every time you mention my work&#8212;it matters. </p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/my-social-media-odyssey-from-short?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/my-social-media-odyssey-from-short?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><p>A lot more than you might think.</p><p>Each time you engage with my content, you&#8217;re not just a number on a screen. You&#8217;re a heartbeat in this growing community. </p><p>Your comments. Your feedback. They&#8217;re conversations. </p><p>Dialogues that spark my creativity and shape the direction of this journey. </p><p>It&#8217;s a reminder that I&#8217;m not out here alone, shouting into the void. There are people&#8212;real people&#8212;who care, who are as invested in this vision as I am.</p><p>And when you share my work, whether it&#8217;s telling a friend or posting about it on your own feed, it&#8217;s like you&#8217;re cracking open a door, letting more people step into this space we&#8217;re building together. </p><p>It&#8217;s a ripple effect, starting with you and spreading outward, pulling more like-minded souls into our circle. Each time you recommend my work, it&#8217;s not just a casual mention. </p><p>It&#8217;s a thread, binding this community closer, making it stronger.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.healingthoughts.com/?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=share&amp;action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share Healing Thoughts&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=share&amp;action=share"><span>Share Healing Thoughts</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Join the Adventure</strong></h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fpvb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d7edd55-07f6-4779-83c5-a3ba782cbcb4_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fpvb!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d7edd55-07f6-4779-83c5-a3ba782cbcb4_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fpvb!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d7edd55-07f6-4779-83c5-a3ba782cbcb4_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fpvb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d7edd55-07f6-4779-83c5-a3ba782cbcb4_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fpvb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d7edd55-07f6-4779-83c5-a3ba782cbcb4_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fpvb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d7edd55-07f6-4779-83c5-a3ba782cbcb4_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/0d7edd55-07f6-4779-83c5-a3ba782cbcb4_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:773041,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fpvb!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d7edd55-07f6-4779-83c5-a3ba782cbcb4_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fpvb!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d7edd55-07f6-4779-83c5-a3ba782cbcb4_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fpvb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d7edd55-07f6-4779-83c5-a3ba782cbcb4_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fpvb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d7edd55-07f6-4779-83c5-a3ba782cbcb4_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>To all who walk this path with me and those yet to join: Let's traverse this landscape of growth and healing together. Engage, reflect, and evolve with me as we chart a course towards a more mindful and enriched life.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/leaderboard?&amp;utm_source=post&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Refer a friend&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/leaderboard?&amp;utm_source=post"><span>Refer a friend</span></a></p><p>Remember, you're not alone on this journey, and through my social platforms, I hope to stand by your side. </p><p>Let's navigate this life together.</p><h3><em><strong>&#8212;Ryan Puusaari</strong></em></h3><p><em><strong>P.S.</strong> Your time and engagement with this edition mean a lot. Every reader adds value to our journey together. Thank you for being here!</em></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:37761,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!tv-J!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F473a3308-fe41-4609-b86f-86852d3cf264_800x400.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em><strong>P.P.S. </strong>"Social media isn&#8217;t just about likes and shares; it&#8217;s about finding kindred spirits in the digital crowd, creating connections that turn strangers into a community."</em></p><div><hr></div><h4>Stepping into yourself&#8212;bold move. <em>Props to you for that.</em></h4><p>But don&#8217;t kid yourself; this isn&#8217;t a one-and-done deal. It&#8217;s a relentless trek inward, and trust me, it never really stops, just shifts and twists with time.</p><p>And to give you a hand, here&#8217;s something I&#8217;m stoked about: <strong><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series">the 365-Day Shadow Work Series</a></strong>. Think of it as your deep dive into self&#8212;no fluff, just real, raw reflection.</p><p><strong>This series doesn&#8217;t play around.</strong></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:440568,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Sfd1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F73a11c29-ee3b-4438-95ec-1d3de8ba7d0f_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>It throws you into the thick of it, with pointed questions that push you through the muck of sadness, self-doubt, and grudges.</p><p>Every page, crafted to steer you, challenge you, and yeah, maybe even break you open a little. It&#8217;s not just a journal&#8212;it&#8217;s your new ritual in self-discovery.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Learn More About the Series&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://woodislandbooks.com/series/the-365-day-shadow-work-series"><span>Learn More About the Series</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3>Before You Go</h3><ul><li><p>Dive into the latest posts in the <em><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/archive">archives</a></em>.</p></li><li><p>Learn more about <em><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/p/official-bio-ryan-puusaari">me</a></em>, <em><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/about">this newsletter</a></em>, or <em>my <a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/p/from-isolated-despair-in-my-car-to">daily texts</a></em>.</p></li><li><p>Explore my <em><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/">journals</a></em> and <em><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/">books</a></em> over at <em><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/">Wood Island Books</a></em>.</p></li><li><p>Follow me on <em><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/p/my-social-media-odyssey-from-short">social media</a></em> for daily inspiration and updates.</p></li><li><p>Check out my <em><a href="https://www.healingthoughts.com/p/books-a-lifelong-affair-with-words">recommended reading list</a></em> for must-read books and authors.</p></li><li><p>View my <em><a href="https://healingthoughts.shop/#!/">exclusive merch collection</a></em>&#8212;designed to inspire and uplift.</p></li><li><p>Have questions or thoughts? I am just an email away&#8212;<em><a href="https://www.ryanpuusaari.com/">reach out anytime</a></em>.</p></li></ul>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[books, a lifelong affair with words]]></title><description><![CDATA[Every book I've embraced, each writer who's resonated with me, has imparted a lesson, a perspective, a fragment of their soul into mine. And as I now pen my own words, I carry them with me.]]></description><link>https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/books-a-lifelong-affair-with-words</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/books-a-lifelong-affair-with-words</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:50:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PyCO!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc820f095-8503-4893-a4e2-b6f42ea02a2f_800x400.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>My love affair with books started with the wild rhymes of <em><a href="https://amzn.to/3ZYr4mI">Dr. Seuss</a></em> and the heart-tugging charm of <em><a href="https://amzn.to/48Vp4Qw">Robert Munsch</a>. </em>I&#8217;d flip through the pages of <em><a href="https://amzn.to/3ZTGn0c">The Berenstain Bears</a></em>, grinning at the ridiculous antics in the <em><a href="https://amzn.to/46NwzqB">Mr. Men and Little Miss</a></em> series. </p><p>Those stories were my playground&#8212;fuel for my imagination and the roots of my obsession with storytelling.</p><p>Then, I grew up (sort of). </p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PyCO!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc820f095-8503-4893-a4e2-b6f42ea02a2f_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PyCO!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc820f095-8503-4893-a4e2-b6f42ea02a2f_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PyCO!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc820f095-8503-4893-a4e2-b6f42ea02a2f_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PyCO!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc820f095-8503-4893-a4e2-b6f42ea02a2f_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PyCO!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc820f095-8503-4893-a4e2-b6f42ea02a2f_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PyCO!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc820f095-8503-4893-a4e2-b6f42ea02a2f_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/c820f095-8503-4893-a4e2-b6f42ea02a2f_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:447896,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PyCO!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc820f095-8503-4893-a4e2-b6f42ea02a2f_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PyCO!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc820f095-8503-4893-a4e2-b6f42ea02a2f_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PyCO!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc820f095-8503-4893-a4e2-b6f42ea02a2f_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PyCO!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc820f095-8503-4893-a4e2-b6f42ea02a2f_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em><a href="https://amzn.to/3rQFzN2">Choose Your Own Adventure</a></em> books pulled me in, letting me rewrite my fate with every choice. Soon after, <em><a href="https://amzn.to/3QfgQeG">Stephen King&#8217;s</a></em> darkness reached out from the shadows. <em><a href="https://amzn.to/3rHvqlS">Michael Crichton&#8217;s</a></em> twists grabbed me by the throat. While <em><a href="https://amzn.to/46MeSYD">Dan Brown&#8217;s</a></em> riddles provided a mental workout. </p><p>These weren't just stories anymore&#8212;they were puzzles. </p><p>Labyrinths. And I couldn&#8217;t stop chasing the thrill of figuring them out.</p><p>By my twenties, things shifted. I started craving depth. </p><p>Non-fiction became my escape. </p><p><em><a href="https://amzn.to/3Fit3J7">Malcolm Gladwell</a></em> made me think. <em><a href="https://amzn.to/3FfCl91">Yuval Noah Harari</a></em> made me question. <em><a href="https://amzn.to/3Qfnu4C">Eckhart Tolle</a></em> made me breathe. And <em><a href="https://amzn.to/45zBkDj">Bren&#233; Brown</a></em> cracked me open. These weren&#8217;t just books&#8212;they were conversations with my soul.</p><p>Every single book I've devoured, every author whose words dug deep, left their mark. Lessons. New ways of seeing the world. Fragments of their minds stitched into mine. </p><p>And now, as I scribble my own story, I carry the words of all those voices&#8212;guiding, provoking, inspiring me as I go.</p><h4><strong>My Timeless Favorites</strong></h4><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R8sf!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff6917ccc-f633-40c5-9324-f590c696c76e_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R8sf!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff6917ccc-f633-40c5-9324-f590c696c76e_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R8sf!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff6917ccc-f633-40c5-9324-f590c696c76e_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R8sf!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff6917ccc-f633-40c5-9324-f590c696c76e_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R8sf!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff6917ccc-f633-40c5-9324-f590c696c76e_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R8sf!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff6917ccc-f633-40c5-9324-f590c696c76e_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f6917ccc-f633-40c5-9324-f590c696c76e_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:431652,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R8sf!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff6917ccc-f633-40c5-9324-f590c696c76e_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R8sf!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff6917ccc-f633-40c5-9324-f590c696c76e_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R8sf!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff6917ccc-f633-40c5-9324-f590c696c76e_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R8sf!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff6917ccc-f633-40c5-9324-f590c696c76e_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Over the years, certain books have left an indelible mark on my soul. Here are a few that I hold dear:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss</strong> &#8211; This story taught me that stepping outside your comfort zone can lead to unexpected joys.</p></li><li><p><strong>Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown</strong> &#8211; I realized the calming power of routine and the beauty in life&#8217;s small, simple moments.</p></li><li><p><strong>Love You Forever by Robert Munsch</strong> &#8211; It showed me how love, especially between a parent and child, deepens and endures across the years.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Berenstain Bears and the Truth by Stan and Jan Berenstain</strong> &#8211; It reinforced the value of honesty and how trust, once broken, takes effort to rebuild.</p></li><li><p><strong>Mr. Happy by Roger Hargreaves</strong> &#8211; I learned that spreading joy has the power to lift others, sometimes in ways we don&#8217;t expect.</p></li><li><p><strong>Charlotte's Web by E.B. White</strong> &#8211; This story illustrated the deep bonds of friendship and the strength of selfless acts.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Cave of Time by Edward Packard</strong> &#8211; It opened my eyes to how every choice we make can lead us down entirely different paths.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exup&#233;ry</strong> &#8211; I discovered that life&#8217;s true meaning is often hidden beneath the surface, only revealed when we see with the heart.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Shining by Stephen King</strong> &#8211; This novel reminded me that isolation and fear can blur the lines between reality and imagination.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Sphere by Michael Crichton</strong> &#8211; It explored the idea that our thoughts, desires, and fears can unconsciously shape the world around us.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown</strong> &#8211; It revealed the layers of mystery embedded in history and how knowledge can be a powerful key to uncovering hidden truths.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho</strong> &#8211; I learned that the pursuit of dreams is filled with valuable lessons, often more important than the dream itself.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle</strong> &#8211; It reminded me of the profound peace that comes from living fully in the present, without being weighed down by the past or future.</p></li><li><p><strong>Atomic Habits by James Clear</strong> &#8211; This book showed me how tiny changes, compounded over time, can create monumental shifts in behavior and results.</p></li><li><p><strong>Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell</strong> &#8211; It highlighted the complex mix of opportunity, culture, and timing that contributes to success, challenging the myth of the self-made individual.</p></li><li><p><strong>Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari</strong> &#8211; I gained an understanding of humanity&#8217;s journey and how our collective beliefs have shaped societies and histories.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz</strong> &#8211; These simple yet powerful agreements helped me understand how changing my internal dialogue can transform my life.</p></li><li><p><strong>Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl</strong> &#8211; It was a poignant reminder that even in the harshest of circumstances, finding meaning is what allows us to endure and grow.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell</strong> &#8211; I saw how the hero&#8217;s journey, a universal pattern in storytelling, mirrors our own personal transformations.</p></li><li><p><strong>Daring Greatly by Bren&#233; Brown</strong> &#8211; This book taught me that embracing vulnerability is an act of courage that fosters deep connection and creativity.</p></li><li><p><strong>Drive by Daniel H. Pink</strong> &#8211; I learned that true motivation comes from within&#8212;through autonomy, mastery, and a sense of purpose.</p></li><li><p><strong>How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera</strong> &#8211; It showed me the importance of taking charge of my own healing, breaking free from old patterns through self-awareness and action.</p></li><li><p><strong>Awakening the Giant Within by Tony Robbins</strong> &#8211; It emphasized the incredible power we have to reshape our lives by changing our decisions and beliefs.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck</strong> &#8211; This book reminded me that personal growth often comes through discipline, love, and embracing life&#8217;s difficulties head-on.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious by Carl Jung</strong> &#8211; It illuminated how archetypes influence our subconscious and connect us to a collective human experience.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3s0tPYd">Green Eggs and Ham</a></strong> by <em>Dr. Seuss</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3RUkZWF">Goodnight Moon</a> </strong>by <em>Margaret Wise Brown</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3PZI6MX">Love You Forever</a></strong> by <em>Robert Munsch</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/48QtWGz">The Berenstain Bears and the Truth</a></strong> by <em>Stan and Jan Berenstain</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3ZYrFVu">Mr. Happy</a></strong> by <em>Roger Hargreaves</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/46w4owH">Charlotte's Web</a></strong> by <em>E.B. White</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/45zaWt4">The Cave of Time</a></strong> by <em>Edward Packard</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/45vxnzw">The Little Prince</a></strong> by <em>Antoine de Saint-Exup&#233;ry</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/48LmOLs">The Shining</a></strong> by <em>Stephen King</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3Q4cQMW">The Sphere</a></strong> by <em>Michael Crichton</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/46usZSJ">The Da Vinci Code</a></strong> by <em>Dan Brown</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/46wSFOq">The Alchemist</a></strong> by <em>Paulo Coelho</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3M2QCJJ">The Power of Now</a> </strong>by <em>Eckhart Tolle</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3PZP3gK">Atomic Habits</a> </strong>by <em>James Clear</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3M1sk34">Outliers</a> </strong>by <em>Malcolm Gladwell</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3FehjaN">Sapiens</a> </strong>by <em>Yuval Noah Harari</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/45vxJGm">The Four Agreements</a></strong> by <em>Don Miguel Ruiz</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3tpZtyI">Man's Search for Meaning</a></strong> by <em>Viktor E. Frankl</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/45wNxbN">The Hero with a Thousand Faces</a> </strong>by <em>Joseph Campbell</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3tzIev5">Daring Greatly</a> </strong>by <em>Bren&#233; Brown</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3M2R9vd">Drive</a> </strong>by <em>Daniel H. Pink</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3Qit8D9">How to Do the Work</a> </strong>by <em>Dr. Nicole LePera</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3tuck2Z">Awakening the Giant Within</a> </strong>by <em>Tony Robbins</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/46xRnCU">The Road Less Traveled</a></strong> by <em>M. Scott Peck</em></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/45zJ6Nv">The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious</a> </strong>by <em>Carl Jung</em></p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h3>Catalysts to My Creations</h3><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MKP5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6445ee4d-28e7-48cc-847f-52703cf3bf8a_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MKP5!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6445ee4d-28e7-48cc-847f-52703cf3bf8a_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MKP5!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6445ee4d-28e7-48cc-847f-52703cf3bf8a_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MKP5!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6445ee4d-28e7-48cc-847f-52703cf3bf8a_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MKP5!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6445ee4d-28e7-48cc-847f-52703cf3bf8a_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MKP5!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6445ee4d-28e7-48cc-847f-52703cf3bf8a_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6445ee4d-28e7-48cc-847f-52703cf3bf8a_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:465880,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MKP5!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6445ee4d-28e7-48cc-847f-52703cf3bf8a_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MKP5!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6445ee4d-28e7-48cc-847f-52703cf3bf8a_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MKP5!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6445ee4d-28e7-48cc-847f-52703cf3bf8a_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MKP5!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6445ee4d-28e7-48cc-847f-52703cf3bf8a_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Books have always been my secret weapon. Not just entertainment, but raw, unfiltered wisdom. They've nudged me, sometimes shoved me, into deeper understanding&#8212;of myself, of life, of healing. Paulo Coelho&#8217;s <em>The Alchemist</em> didn&#8217;t just talk about fate, it whispered about chasing your truth, your personal legend. And Don Miguel Ruiz&#8217;s <em>The Four Agreements</em>? It shattered everything I thought I knew, showing me how to be real, how to break free from the weight of others&#8217; opinions.</p><p>But let&#8217;s be clear&#8212;<em>Healing Thoughts</em>? That&#8217;s not just a collection of lessons from others. It&#8217;s my life on paper. Every page grew out of my own experiences. Heartbreak. Betrayal. Homelessness. The kind of stuff that doesn&#8217;t just change your mind&#8212;it changes your soul. Those books gave me tools, sure. But the real wisdom? That came from the trenches. From living it.</p><p><em>Healing Thoughts</em> isn&#8217;t just a reflection of what I&#8217;ve read. It&#8217;s my personal roadmap out of darkness. It&#8217;s a guide I built from the ground up, using my story as the foundation. Inside, you&#8217;ll find:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Early Life and Background</strong> &#8211; A peek into my childhood and how it shaped the emotional mess I became.</p></li><li><p><strong>Echoes of a Shattered Love</strong> &#8211; The raw, gritty truth about my marriage falling apart and everything that came after.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Journey of Healing</strong> &#8211; Navigating trauma, battling through emotional wreckage, and finding my way back to something resembling peace.</p></li><li><p><strong>The Power of Journaling</strong> &#8211; How writing saved me, time and time again. The practice that birthed the <em>365-Day Shadow Work Journals</em>.</p></li><li><p><strong>Dawn of a New Chapter</strong> &#8211; How I found peace in simplicity, even with doubt still hanging around like a shadow.</p></li></ul><p><em>Healing Thoughts</em> isn&#8217;t just a story. It&#8217;s a manual for survival. For rebuilding. It&#8217;s packed with prompts to get you thinking, quotes that keep you going, and stories that remind you&#8212;healing is messy, but it&#8217;s real.</p><p>If you're ready to face your shadows, dig deep, and come out stronger on the other side, this book&#8217;s for you. <em>Healing Thoughts</em> is your partner in the fight, not just something to read, but something to live through. So dive in. Let the pages carry you through your own storm.</p><p>Are you ready to start healing? <em>Healing Thoughts</em> is your invitation to rediscover your strength. To dig deep. To find the clarity and peace already buried inside. Let&#8217;s go.</p><div><hr></div><p>Some books don&#8217;t just sit there, gathering dust&#8212;they crawl into your mind, take root, and refuse to leave. These are the ones that don&#8217;t just flip through your thoughts; they twist them, bend them, make you look at everything sideways. They don&#8217;t whisper&#8212;oh no&#8212;they start conversations with your soul, mess with your beliefs, and dare you to rethink it all. Some? They call you out, smack you right in the face with uncomfortable truths. Others? They&#8217;re a soft place to land when everything feels off. But the real magic? Those rare moments when a sentence hits like a lightning bolt, shifting the ground under your feet.</p><p>These books don&#8217;t just leave marks. They rearrange the furniture in your head, guiding you&#8212;sometimes gently, sometimes not&#8212;through growth, pain, and everything in between. Here are 20 that did just that for me. They&#8217;ve woven themselves into how I think, how I grow, how I see the world, and how I keep finding my way.</p><ul><li><p><strong>"The Untethered Soul" by Michael A. Singer</strong> &#8211; Teaches the importance of freeing ourselves from the constant chatter of the mind and living beyond our ego.</p></li><li><p><strong>"The Gifts of Imperfection" by Bren&#233; Brown</strong> &#8211; Emphasizes embracing vulnerability and imperfections as a path to authentic living and wholeheartedness.</p></li><li><p><strong>"You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise Hay</strong> &#8211; Highlights the power of affirmations and self-love in transforming mental and physical well-being.</p></li><li><p><strong>"Radical Acceptance" by Tara Brach</strong> &#8211; Encourages accepting yourself and your circumstances fully as a foundation for healing and inner peace.</p></li><li><p><strong>"The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle</strong> &#8211; Teaches how living fully in the present moment leads to inner peace and liberation from the ego.</p></li><li><p><strong>"The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk</strong> &#8211; Explores how trauma affects the body and mind, and offers insights into healing through body awareness.</p></li><li><p><strong>"A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle</strong> &#8211; Focuses on transcending the ego and awakening to a deeper sense of purpose and consciousness.</p></li><li><p><strong>"The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" by Deepak Chopra</strong> &#8211; Provides principles for living in harmony with the natural laws of the universe to achieve fulfillment.</p></li><li><p><strong>"The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey</strong> &#8211; Offers timeless wisdom on self-discipline, productivity, and personal growth through effective habits.</p></li><li><p><strong>"The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz</strong> &#8211; Outlines four simple agreements for living authentically and breaking self-limiting beliefs.</p></li><li><p><strong>"When Things Fall Apart" by Pema Ch&#246;dr&#246;n</strong> &#8211; Teaches the importance of embracing uncertainty and suffering as paths to awakening and spiritual growth.</p></li><li><p><strong>"The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh</strong> &#8211; Provides practical guidance on cultivating mindfulness in daily life as a way to achieve inner peace.</p></li><li><p><strong>"Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway" by Susan Jeffers</strong> &#8211; Reminds us that fear is a natural part of growth and that we can act in spite of it to create change.</p></li><li><p><strong>"The Artist&#8217;s Way" by Julia Cameron</strong> &#8211; Helps unlock creativity through self-exploration, journaling, and embracing artistic potential.</p></li><li><p><strong>"Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender" by David R. Hawkins</strong> &#8211; Explains how to release negative emotions and live in a state of surrender to achieve inner freedom.</p></li><li><p><strong>"No Bad Parts" by Richard Schwartz</strong> &#8211; Focuses on Internal Family Systems therapy and how embracing all parts of ourselves, including our shadow aspects, can lead to healing.</p></li><li><p><strong>"Daring Greatly" by Bren&#233; Brown</strong> &#8211; Explores how embracing vulnerability leads to stronger connections, creativity, and a more fulfilled life.</p></li><li><p><strong>"Codependent No More" by Melody Beattie</strong> &#8211; Explains how to break free from codependent behaviors and regain a sense of self-worth and autonomy.</p></li><li><p><strong>"The Seat of the Soul" by Gary Zukav</strong> &#8211; Explores the alignment of personality with soul purpose and the transformation of human consciousness.</p></li><li><p><strong>"The Myth of Normal" by Gabor Mat&#233;</strong> &#8211; Examines how trauma and stress are normalized in modern society and how healing comes through reconnecting with our true selves.</p></li></ul><h2>My Workbooks</h2><p>Each of these books, with their unique lessons and perspectives, etched profound marks upon my soul, propelling me to delve deeper into my own psyche and, subsequently, craft my own mediums of expression and introspection through journals and workbooks.</p><p>In the gentle rustling of their pages, I found whispers of wisdom, shouts of awakening, and an endless source of inspiration that has fueled my journey and creations.</p><h4><strong>The 365-Day Journal Series</strong></h4><p>Among my proudest creations is the <strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3rKJDyr">365-Day Journal Series</a></strong>.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gmhL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12cf0119-a020-49c7-b9a1-e188384a7230_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gmhL!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12cf0119-a020-49c7-b9a1-e188384a7230_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gmhL!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12cf0119-a020-49c7-b9a1-e188384a7230_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gmhL!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12cf0119-a020-49c7-b9a1-e188384a7230_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gmhL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12cf0119-a020-49c7-b9a1-e188384a7230_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gmhL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12cf0119-a020-49c7-b9a1-e188384a7230_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/12cf0119-a020-49c7-b9a1-e188384a7230_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:440568,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gmhL!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12cf0119-a020-49c7-b9a1-e188384a7230_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gmhL!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12cf0119-a020-49c7-b9a1-e188384a7230_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gmhL!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12cf0119-a020-49c7-b9a1-e188384a7230_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gmhL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F12cf0119-a020-49c7-b9a1-e188384a7230_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Every day, for a whole year, this series provides prompts rooted in shadow work, encouraging deep introspection. By shedding light on the darkest corners of our psyche, we not only understand ourselves better but also pave the way for growth and self-love.</p><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1998830020?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tpbk_0&amp;storeType=ebooks">365 Days of Journaling for Deep Shadow Work: A Beginner's Workbook With Questions &amp; Prompts for Inner Child Healing</a></strong></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1778263933?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tpbk_1&amp;storeType=ebooks">365 Day Journal for Improving Your Mental Health: Daily Shadow Work Prompts for Self Discovery, Healing, and Inner Peace</a></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1778263968?">365 Day Journal for Self-Discovery: Daily Shadow Work Questions for Finding, Accepting and Stepping Into Your Whole Authentic Self</a></strong></p></li></ul><h4>The Trigger Warning Collection</h4><p>Through my own struggles and discoveries, I crafted the <strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3QfiOLY">Trigger Warning</a></strong> series.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://amzn.to/3QfiOLY" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bx76!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F086090e5-a591-4c3b-9d2a-63023a0bf36a_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bx76!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F086090e5-a591-4c3b-9d2a-63023a0bf36a_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bx76!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F086090e5-a591-4c3b-9d2a-63023a0bf36a_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bx76!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F086090e5-a591-4c3b-9d2a-63023a0bf36a_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bx76!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F086090e5-a591-4c3b-9d2a-63023a0bf36a_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/086090e5-a591-4c3b-9d2a-63023a0bf36a_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:407375,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://amzn.to/3QfiOLY&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bx76!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F086090e5-a591-4c3b-9d2a-63023a0bf36a_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bx76!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F086090e5-a591-4c3b-9d2a-63023a0bf36a_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bx76!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F086090e5-a591-4c3b-9d2a-63023a0bf36a_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bx76!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F086090e5-a591-4c3b-9d2a-63023a0bf36a_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://amzn.to/3QfiOLY&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;View Series&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://amzn.to/3QfiOLY"><span>View Series</span></a></p><p>It's more than just a collection; it's a roadmap for others to navigate their emotions, confront their traumas, and seek healing, just as I did with the help of the literary giants before me.</p><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Warning-Reparenting-Emotional-Collection/dp/1778263917/">Trigger Warning: A Guided Shadow Work Journal &amp; Workbook for Reparenting Your Emotional Triggers</a></strong></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Warning-Worksheet-Additional-Worksheets/dp/1778263941/">Trigger Warning Worksheet Edition: Additional Worksheets from the Original Shadow Work Guide &amp; Journal</a></p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Warning-III-Emotional-Collection/dp/1998830055/">Trigger Warning III: A Guided Shadow Work Journal for Letting Go of Emotional Pain</a></strong></p></li></ul><h4>The Gratitude Chronicles</h4><p>Gratitude has been my anchor. Amidst life's tempests, counting my blessings, no matter how small, kept me grounded. </p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5VTN!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F71f5eec9-6df4-4fd9-a105-34372ffab677_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5VTN!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F71f5eec9-6df4-4fd9-a105-34372ffab677_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5VTN!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F71f5eec9-6df4-4fd9-a105-34372ffab677_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5VTN!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F71f5eec9-6df4-4fd9-a105-34372ffab677_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5VTN!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F71f5eec9-6df4-4fd9-a105-34372ffab677_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5VTN!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F71f5eec9-6df4-4fd9-a105-34372ffab677_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/71f5eec9-6df4-4fd9-a105-34372ffab677_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:452146,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5VTN!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F71f5eec9-6df4-4fd9-a105-34372ffab677_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5VTN!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F71f5eec9-6df4-4fd9-a105-34372ffab677_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5VTN!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F71f5eec9-6df4-4fd9-a105-34372ffab677_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5VTN!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F71f5eec9-6df4-4fd9-a105-34372ffab677_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>The '<strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVXQL5KM?binding=paperback">My Daily Gratitude Series</a></strong>' is a culmination of this practice, a beacon for others to find their own silver linings.</p><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Daily-Journal-Gratitude-Morning/dp/177826395X/">My Daily Journal of Gratitude: With 90 Days of Morning and Night Prompts</a> </strong></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Letters-Gratitude-Admiration-Expression/dp/1998830071/">My Daily Letters of Gratitude: Elevating Awe and Admiration through the Practice of Written Expression</a> </p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Affirmations-Gratitude-Unleashing-Fulfillment/dp/1998830004/">My Daily Affirmations of Gratitude: Unleashing a Life of Happiness, Fulfillment, and Abundance with 100 Empowering Messages</a></strong> </p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h3>Towards the Horizon</h3><p>Throughout my life, I've been deeply influenced by the works of countless authors, each leaving an indelible mark on my soul. Their masterpieces have not only entertained and enlightened but have also kindled a burning aspiration within me: to pen my own book. </p><p>I dream of crafting a novel that encapsulates my journey, experiences, and musings, weaving them into a tapestry of words that might ignite the imagination and passion of future readers, much like how I was once profoundly moved.</p><p>Every chapter I envision, every narrative I hope to share, is not just a mere story but a testament to the legacy of the literary greats who've paved the way. As I navigate this path of storytelling, I'm fueled by their tales, their struggles, and their triumphs. </p><p>But the journey of an author is not walked alone. It's a collaborative dance between the writer and the readers, the dreamers and the believers.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p>By choosing to become a paid subscriber, you're not just gaining access to exclusive content; you're investing in a dream. Your support is the wind beneath the wings of my aspirations, allowing me to continue my literary pursuits, and inch closer to bringing my vision to fruition. </p><p>Together, we're building a community, a shared space of dreams and stories, where every tale has the potential to shine a light on someone's path, guiding them towards new horizons.</p><h4><strong>Benefits of a Paid Subscription</strong></h4><ol><li><p><strong>Exclusive Access:</strong> Dive deeper into the world of shadow work with content crafted exclusively for our premium subscribers.</p></li><li><p><strong>Interactive Workshops:</strong> Engage in monthly virtual workshops that provide hands-on experience and personalized guidance.</p></li><li><p><strong>Priority Support:</strong> Get your queries answered with priority, ensuring a seamless journey through the content.</p></li><li><p><strong>Community Events:</strong> Join monthly book club sessions, group meditations, and other community-driven events.</p></li><li><p><strong>Special Discounts:</strong> Avail discounts on upcoming courses, books, and other resources.</p></li></ol><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><h4><strong>Support the Dream </strong></h4><p>By becoming a paid subscriber, you're not just investing in your own journey but in the dreams and aspirations of every member of this community. Your subscription helps maintain the quality of content, fund research, and most importantly, keep this space accessible for everyone. It is the bridge that will one day turn the rich content of this newsletter into a tangible book, reaching bookshelves and kindling souls worldwide.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&amp;gift=true&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Give a gift subscription&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&amp;gift=true"><span>Give a gift subscription</span></a></p><h4><strong>Every Bit Counts</strong></h4><p>If a paid subscription isn't within your means currently, know that your presence, engagement, and even word-of-mouth recommendations are invaluable. Every comment, share, or recommendation helps in building this community and realizing the dream. Every voice adds to the chorus, every story enriches the tapestry, and every individual brings in a unique shade of experience and insight.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/leaderboard?&amp;utm_source=post&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Refer a friend&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/leaderboard?&amp;utm_source=post"><span>Refer a friend</span></a></p><h4><strong>Subscribe &amp; Be Part of the Legacy</strong> </h4><p>Whether you're embarking on the path of self-discovery, seeking solace in shared stories, or looking to contribute to a legacy of healing and growth, there's a place for you in the <em>Healing Thoughts</em> community. Choose the subscription that resonates with you, and take the next step in this collective journey of introspection, understanding, and transformation.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><div><hr></div><h3><strong>Closing Thoughts </strong></h3><p>From the recesses of my heart, I invite you to be part of this endeavor. Let us weave together a legacy of understanding, healing, and transformation. Every page you read, every exercise you undertake, and every story you share contributes to this grand tapestry.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/books-a-lifelong-affair-with-words?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/books-a-lifelong-affair-with-words?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><p><strong>With profound gratitude and anticipation for the journey ahead,</strong></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mt0Q!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F379f677b-034e-41fb-b6fc-ce04821b1fe2_800x400.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mt0Q!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F379f677b-034e-41fb-b6fc-ce04821b1fe2_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mt0Q!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F379f677b-034e-41fb-b6fc-ce04821b1fe2_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mt0Q!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F379f677b-034e-41fb-b6fc-ce04821b1fe2_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mt0Q!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F379f677b-034e-41fb-b6fc-ce04821b1fe2_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mt0Q!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F379f677b-034e-41fb-b6fc-ce04821b1fe2_800x400.png" width="800" height="400" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/379f677b-034e-41fb-b6fc-ce04821b1fe2_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:400,&quot;width&quot;:800,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:969430,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" title="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mt0Q!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F379f677b-034e-41fb-b6fc-ce04821b1fe2_800x400.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mt0Q!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F379f677b-034e-41fb-b6fc-ce04821b1fe2_800x400.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mt0Q!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F379f677b-034e-41fb-b6fc-ce04821b1fe2_800x400.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!mt0Q!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F379f677b-034e-41fb-b6fc-ce04821b1fe2_800x400.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h4>&#8212;Ryan Puusaari</h4><div><hr></div><p><strong>P.S.</strong> While the list above features some of my most treasured books and authors, the realm of healing, growth, and personal development is vast and diverse. </p><p>Notable authors not mentioned here include:</p><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/45yM3hp">Gabor Mat&#233;</a></strong> known for his profound insights into trauma and addiction.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3POBqRu">Deepak Chopra</a></strong> with his spiritual and holistic approach to well-being. </p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3PTrt5v">Ram Dass</a></strong> and his teachings on consciousness and spirituality.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/48RKNsw">Thich Nhat Hanh</a></strong> with his gentle guidance on mindfulness and peace. </p></li></ul><p>Each of these authors, along with countless others, have provided invaluable perspectives on the journey of self-discovery, growth, and healing. Their contributions continue to inspire and guide many on their paths to inner transformation.</p><p><strong>P.S.S.</strong> I can't finish without shouting out to these luminaries in the world of personal growth and development:</p><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3twdnzB">Wayne Dyer</a></strong> - Prolific author on self-development and spiritual growth.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3txUJHp">Louise Hay</a></strong> - Pioneer in positive affirmations and self-healing.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/495591E">Elizabeth Gilbert</a></strong> - Author of <em>Eat, Pray, Love</em>, exploring self-discovery.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3tydJFQ">Byron Katie</a></strong> - Developed <em>The Work</em>, a method of self-inquiry.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3rUDxvl">Steven Covey</a></strong> - Wrote <em>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People</em>.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3rVdWCr">Esther Hicks (Abraham Hicks)</a></strong> - Teachings on the law of attraction.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3ZV0X04">Jack Canfield</a></strong> - Co-creator of the <em>Chicken Soup for the Soul</em> series.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3ZYZ6HS">Norman Vincent Peale</a></strong> - Author of <em>The Power of Positive Thinking</em>.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3S5pnCp">James Redfield</a></strong> - Wrote <em>The Celestine Prophecy</em> exploring spiritual awakening.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://amzn.to/3PUWpST">Julia Cameron</a></strong> - Author of <em>The Artist's Way</em>, a guide to creativity.</p></li></ul><p>Their teachings, writings, and insights have paved the way for so many, including myself, on our journeys of self-awareness, healing, and personal growth.</p><div><hr></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/books-a-lifelong-affair-with-words/comments&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Leave a comment&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;button-wrapper&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary button-wrapper" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/books-a-lifelong-affair-with-words/comments"><span>Leave a comment</span></a></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Official Bio: Ryan Puusaari]]></title><description><![CDATA[Ryan's work dazzles across a spectrum of platforms, including his eloquent writing and enthralling content creation on social media.]]></description><link>https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/official-bio-ryan-puusaari</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/official-bio-ryan-puusaari</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Ryan Puusaari]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 24 May 2023 01:34:25 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p7PP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d2b68be-ff01-4ab6-bca9-8f55adfc040c_600x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<h4>Jump to a Section</h4><p>Utilize these quick-access links to navigate to your desired section on this page, or feel free to scroll down leisurely to uncover more.</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/meet-ryan-puusaari">Meet Ryan Puusaari</a> - The man behind this newsletter.</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/daily-messages-of-hope">Daily Messages of Hope</a> - Learn more about his daily text message service.</p></li><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/hidden-gems-of-self-awareness">Hidden Gems of Self-Awareness</a> - Reveal subconscious patterns through his written words.</p></li><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/stepping-stones-to-growth">Stepping Stones to Growth</a> - Witness how Ryan utilizes digital media as a stepping stone to your growth. </p></li><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/an-open-invitation">An Open Invitation</a> - An invitation to commence your voyage.</p></li></ul></li><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/dive-deeper-into-ryans-story">Dive Deeper Into Ryan&#8217;s Story</a> - Explore the depths of Ryan&#8217;s personal stories detailing experiences of trauma, adversity, and resilience.</p></li><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/about-healing-prompts">About Healing Prompts</a> - An ETSY shop offering a remarkable marriage of self-reflection and journaling, serving as a catalyst in the journey of self-discovery.</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/the-mission-empowerment-for-all">The Mission: Empowerment for All</a> - Through introspection and intentional action.</p></li><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/a-vibrant-nurturing-community">A Vibrant, Nurturing Community</a> - A place where everyone uplifts each other on their unique paths.</p></li></ul></li><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/books-by-ryan-puusaari">Books by Ryan Puusaari</a> - Access links to his published works on Amazon.</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/the-trigger-warning-collection">The Trigger Warning Collection</a> - Own your triggers, heal your life.</p></li><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/my-daily-gratitude-series">My Daily Gratitude Series</a> - Revel in daily sparks of appreciation.</p></li></ul></li><li><p><a href="https://ryanpuusaari.substack.com/i/123410185/a-final-message-from-ryan">A Final Message From Ryan</a> - Your presence here means the world to me.</p></li></ul><div><hr></div><h2>Meet Ryan Puusaari</h2><p>A creative genius on a steadfast mission to light up that special something inside everyone. Ryan is more than just a source of inspiration or a trigger for change; he's a creator of limitless opportunities, making a lasting impact on the landscape of human potential.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p7PP!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d2b68be-ff01-4ab6-bca9-8f55adfc040c_600x300.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p7PP!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d2b68be-ff01-4ab6-bca9-8f55adfc040c_600x300.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p7PP!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d2b68be-ff01-4ab6-bca9-8f55adfc040c_600x300.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p7PP!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d2b68be-ff01-4ab6-bca9-8f55adfc040c_600x300.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p7PP!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d2b68be-ff01-4ab6-bca9-8f55adfc040c_600x300.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p7PP!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d2b68be-ff01-4ab6-bca9-8f55adfc040c_600x300.png" width="600" height="300" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4d2b68be-ff01-4ab6-bca9-8f55adfc040c_600x300.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:300,&quot;width&quot;:600,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:302731,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p7PP!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d2b68be-ff01-4ab6-bca9-8f55adfc040c_600x300.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p7PP!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d2b68be-ff01-4ab6-bca9-8f55adfc040c_600x300.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p7PP!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d2b68be-ff01-4ab6-bca9-8f55adfc040c_600x300.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!p7PP!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d2b68be-ff01-4ab6-bca9-8f55adfc040c_600x300.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Ryan's work is an enchanting mix of eloquence, creativity, and inspiration, each part adding its own unique charm. His skillful storytelling connects the everyday with the remarkable, the aware with the intuitive. Exploring the areas of personal development, spirituality, and awareness, he lights up the complex routes of our lives with a bright light of knowledge and understanding.</p><h3>Daily Messages of Hope</h3><p>The world turns into a stage with Ryan's magic touch, turning everyday text messages into captivating displays filled with wise words. Each message, thoughtfully put together, feels like a secret shared directly with the reader, a reassuring hug that comforts them.</p><blockquote><p><em><strong>&#8220;You are seen. You are heard.&#8221;</strong></em></p></blockquote><p>Interacting with Ryan's daily messages goes beyond just getting texts; it's a deep dive into knowledge and insights, like getting advice from a personal mentor. It's a reminder that in this huge world, there's someone who gets what you're going through and is cheering for your success.</p><p>These daily bits of wisdom are not just texts on your phone; they're like a reassuring pat on the back, a beam of light breaking through the clouds, and a friend helping you find your way in life.</p><p>Ready to start? Click here. Today is the ideal day to bring more knowledge, comfort, and optimism into your life. With each new morning, anticipate a message that could change your day or maybe even your life.</p><h3>Hidden Gems of Self-Awareness </h3><p>For those eager to explore their inner world, Ryan&#8217;s Substack Newsletter is your roadmap to uncovering the treasures of self-awareness and growth. It offers a blend of stories, life lessons, interactive activities, and intriguing questions, sharing wisdom as if from a close friend or mentor.</p><p>Ryan's blog on Medium acts as a reflective surface, showing us the less seen parts of ourselves in a clear, insightful manner. Merging ideas of shadow work and archetypes, he takes us deep into our unconscious mind with engaging articles. Using stories from mythology, Ryan draws meaningful connections between ancient wisdom and our own hidden aspects, making it easy to see ourselves in these narratives. Each blog post invites you closer to understanding yourself, acting as a guide on your journey to self-discovery.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yKrd!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F996db5a3-4687-48ef-90c7-50fb2c2a5620_600x300.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yKrd!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F996db5a3-4687-48ef-90c7-50fb2c2a5620_600x300.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yKrd!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F996db5a3-4687-48ef-90c7-50fb2c2a5620_600x300.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yKrd!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F996db5a3-4687-48ef-90c7-50fb2c2a5620_600x300.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yKrd!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F996db5a3-4687-48ef-90c7-50fb2c2a5620_600x300.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yKrd!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F996db5a3-4687-48ef-90c7-50fb2c2a5620_600x300.png" width="600" height="300" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/996db5a3-4687-48ef-90c7-50fb2c2a5620_600x300.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:300,&quot;width&quot;:600,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:387090,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yKrd!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F996db5a3-4687-48ef-90c7-50fb2c2a5620_600x300.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yKrd!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F996db5a3-4687-48ef-90c7-50fb2c2a5620_600x300.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yKrd!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F996db5a3-4687-48ef-90c7-50fb2c2a5620_600x300.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!yKrd!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F996db5a3-4687-48ef-90c7-50fb2c2a5620_600x300.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h3>Stepping Stones to Growth</h3><p>Ryan's goal goes beyond just motivating people; he's set on giving everyone practical tools for self-improvement and personal growth. His skill with digital media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube is incredible, turning these spaces into pathways for personal development and awareness. Ryan's commitment acts as a powerful boost, driving us towards our full potential.</p><p>Deeply involved in promoting mental health, Ryan uses his own experiences to increase awareness about mental health issues and to fight against the stigma associated with them. His efforts are deeply personal but speak to the strength of sharing stories and coming together.</p><h3>An Open Invitation</h3><p>Ryan's work lights the way for those starting their journey to self-discovery, highlighting the amazing potential inside us all. He warmly welcomes anyone in search of spiritual advice, practical wisdom, or endless motivation. Ryan dreams of a world where we join forces to create an empowering environment, revealing the untapped potential within each of us.</p><p>At its core, his work encourages us to move to life's beat, celebrating every step on the path to personal achievement, growth, and limitless happiness. He motivates us to embark on a journey of personal transformation and spiritual growth, marked by being true to ourselves, understanding, and kindness. It's a call to action for us to use our unique talents, build meaningful relationships, and shape a brighter future for ourselves and future generations.</p><p>Discover more: <a href="https://www.ryanpuusaari.com/">https://www.ryanpuusaari.com/</a></p><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Healing Thoughts is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><div><hr></div><h2>Dive Deeper Into Ryan&#8217;s Story</h2><div class="digest-post-embed" data-attrs="{&quot;nodeId&quot;:&quot;f949eb62-9310-44b5-9dbe-3028af121b31&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Embark on a journey like no other as you step into the raw, unfiltered world of how I began to heal from a childhood filled with pain, isolation and betrayal. \&quot;Lifelines: Tales of Triumph &amp; Trial\&quot; is your weekly sanctuary of storytelling that delves deep into the crevices of resilience, adversity, and the human spirit. Released every Monday, each issue &#8230;&quot;,&quot;cta&quot;:null,&quot;showBylines&quot;:true,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;lg&quot;,&quot;isEditorNode&quot;:true,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Lifelines: Tales of Triumph &amp; Trial &quot;,&quot;publishedBylines&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:106134066,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Ryan Puusaari&quot;,&quot;bio&quot;:&quot;Ryan Puusaari is a leading authority in shadow work, dedicated to guiding individuals towards self-realization through the integration of their unconscious aspects.&quot;,&quot;photo_url&quot;:&quot;https://bucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/abc155d9-3b98-4d21-acde-a5da17243b86_600x600.jpeg&quot;,&quot;is_guest&quot;:false,&quot;bestseller_tier&quot;:null}],&quot;post_date&quot;:&quot;2023-09-19T12:50:10.606Z&quot;,&quot;cover_image&quot;:&quot;https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd5b5122-d3f0-4588-9043-a4248f9816b6_800x400.png&quot;,&quot;cover_image_alt&quot;:null,&quot;canonical_url&quot;:&quot;https://healingthoughts.substack.com/p/lifelines-tales-of-triumph-and-trial&quot;,&quot;section_name&quot;:null,&quot;video_upload_id&quot;:null,&quot;id&quot;:137102721,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;newsletter&quot;,&quot;reaction_count&quot;:0,&quot;comment_count&quot;:0,&quot;publication_id&quot;:null,&quot;publication_name&quot;:&quot;Healing Thoughts&quot;,&quot;publication_logo_url&quot;:&quot;https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F34fedfad-d4fd-40b1-a1f8-8c08e3284dac_600x600.png&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;youtube_url&quot;:null,&quot;show_links&quot;:null,&quot;feed_url&quot;:null}"></div><div><hr></div><h2>Books by Ryan Puusaari</h2><h4>The Trigger Warning Collection</h4><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BR63WM83?binding=paperback" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEw2!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdfaa3ee9-8614-4173-b8a7-6a896adbd225_600x300.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEw2!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdfaa3ee9-8614-4173-b8a7-6a896adbd225_600x300.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEw2!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdfaa3ee9-8614-4173-b8a7-6a896adbd225_600x300.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEw2!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdfaa3ee9-8614-4173-b8a7-6a896adbd225_600x300.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEw2!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdfaa3ee9-8614-4173-b8a7-6a896adbd225_600x300.png" width="600" height="300" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/dfaa3ee9-8614-4173-b8a7-6a896adbd225_600x300.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:300,&quot;width&quot;:600,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:232740,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:&quot;https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BR63WM83?binding=paperback&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEw2!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdfaa3ee9-8614-4173-b8a7-6a896adbd225_600x300.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEw2!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdfaa3ee9-8614-4173-b8a7-6a896adbd225_600x300.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEw2!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdfaa3ee9-8614-4173-b8a7-6a896adbd225_600x300.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jEw2!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdfaa3ee9-8614-4173-b8a7-6a896adbd225_600x300.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BR63WM83?binding=paperback&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;View the Series&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BR63WM83?binding=paperback"><span>View the Series</span></a></p><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/books/trigger-warning-35cc2cd905">Trigger Warning: A Guided Shadow Work Journal &amp; Workbook for Reparenting Your Emotional Triggers</a> </strong>- Guides readers through a 5-step consciousness shifting practice to process and validate their feelings of trauma and pain.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/books/trigger-warning-worksheet-edition">Trigger Warning Worksheet Edition: Additional Worksheets from the Original Shadow Work Guide &amp; Journal</a> </strong>- Provides repetitive practice to break free from negative cycles and explores the philosophy of stoicism in relation to shadow work.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/books/trigger-warning-iii">Trigger Warning III: A Guided Shadow Work Journal for Letting Go of Emotional Pain</a></strong> - A step-by-step guide to healing, designed to help readers move from pain to freedom in a matter of weeks.</p></li></ul><h4>My Daily Gratitude Series</h4><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVXQL5KM?binding=paperback" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!S8Io!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4c7bfd9f-34b2-4d82-bdca-72da06078361_600x300.png 424w, 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https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!S8Io!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4c7bfd9f-34b2-4d82-bdca-72da06078361_600x300.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!S8Io!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4c7bfd9f-34b2-4d82-bdca-72da06078361_600x300.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!S8Io!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4c7bfd9f-34b2-4d82-bdca-72da06078361_600x300.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVXQL5KM?binding=paperback&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;View the Series&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVXQL5KM?binding=paperback"><span>View the Series</span></a></p><ul><li><p><strong><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/books/my-daily-journal-of-gratitude">My Daily Journal of Gratitude: With 90 Days of Morning and Night Prompts</a> -</strong> Offers daily prompts for reflecting on what one is thankful for, starting each day positively.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/books/my-daily-letters-of-gratitude">My Daily Letters of Gratitude: Elevating Awe and Admiration through the Practice of Written Expression</a></strong> - Provides 100 prompts for writing letters of appreciation, fostering deeper connections and gratitude.</p></li><li><p><strong><a href="https://woodislandbooks.com/books/my-daily-affirmations-of-gratitude">My Daily Affirmations of Gratitude: Unleashing a Life of Happiness, Fulfillment, and Abundance with 100 Empowering Messages</a></strong> - Provides 100 affirmations and self-reflection questions to cultivate gratitude.</p><div><hr></div></li></ul><h2>A Final Message From Ryan</h2><h4>Thank you wholeheartedly for spending time with today's newsletter.</h4><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Fn4Q!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F33238138-d9af-4f38-a58a-f00ccacc8399_600x300.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Fn4Q!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F33238138-d9af-4f38-a58a-f00ccacc8399_600x300.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Fn4Q!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F33238138-d9af-4f38-a58a-f00ccacc8399_600x300.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Fn4Q!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F33238138-d9af-4f38-a58a-f00ccacc8399_600x300.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Fn4Q!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F33238138-d9af-4f38-a58a-f00ccacc8399_600x300.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Fn4Q!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F33238138-d9af-4f38-a58a-f00ccacc8399_600x300.png" width="600" height="300" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/33238138-d9af-4f38-a58a-f00ccacc8399_600x300.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:300,&quot;width&quot;:600,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:290891,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Fn4Q!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F33238138-d9af-4f38-a58a-f00ccacc8399_600x300.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Fn4Q!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F33238138-d9af-4f38-a58a-f00ccacc8399_600x300.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Fn4Q!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F33238138-d9af-4f38-a58a-f00ccacc8399_600x300.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Fn4Q!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F33238138-d9af-4f38-a58a-f00ccacc8399_600x300.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Your presence and engagement mean the world to me. Should this post resonate with you, please feel free to share it on social media, pass it along to a friend, or even keep it tucked away in your personal archive for future reference.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/official-bio-ryan-puusaari?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/official-bio-ryan-puusaari?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p><div><hr></div><p><em><strong>I am eager to hear your thoughts, insights, or any questions you might have.</strong></em></p><p>So please, don't hesitate to leave a comment.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/official-bio-ryan-puusaari/comments&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Leave a comment&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/p/official-bio-ryan-puusaari/comments"><span>Leave a comment</span></a></p><p>Let's keep the conversation going and continue this journey of healing and self-discovery together.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&amp;gift=true&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Give a gift subscription&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&amp;gift=true"><span>Give a gift subscription</span></a></p><p><strong>Much love,</strong></p><h4><strong>Ryan Puusaari</strong></h4><div><hr></div><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.shadowthoughts.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Healing Thoughts is a reader-supported publication. 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