Our life journey is profoundly affected by the intentions and directions of our parents and caretakers, often with seemingly catastrophic results. The career not taken, the marriage not consummated are only two choices colored by the emotional distortions we might have been trained to believe about ourselves as a result of having unconditional faith and trust in the wisdom and omniscience we have attributed to our parents and caretakers in our formative years. But these conditions are merely "stage-setters" for the lessons we need to learn. What if we are raised with love and acceptance for who we are not who we are supposed to be? Learn to recognize and disarm what might have led us to feel "toxic shame" and to create our "Shadow" leading us to doubt ourselves instead of building the courage, self-worth and confidence in creating a fuller and more rewarding life.