Individuation | Finding Your Unique Identity
Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. ~Carl Jung
Born in 1875, Carl Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology (aka Jungian Analysis). He is most famous for this, as well as for developing the concepts of extroversion/introversion and Jungian Archetypes.
Jung believed these archetypes were archaic forms of innate human knowledge passed down from our ancestors.
The four major archetypes—the persona, shadow, anima/animus, and self—represent universal patterns and images that are part of the collective unconscious and are present in every individual's unconscious. He also believed these archetypes could intermingle and generate twelve more.
Jung also called these archetypes “primordial images” and considered them to be the basic building blocks of human personality, values, and motivations. The archetypes are important to individuation because they are a foundation for the human psyche and assist in understanding one’s personality.
(I wrote about individuation in last week’s post. It’s defined as the process of forming a stable personality and gaining a clear sense of identity separate from other people.)
The 4 Major Jungian Archetypes
How we each express these archetypes will vary from person to person:
The persona is the part of ourselves that shows up in our daily interactions.
The shadow represents sexuality, primal instincts, and the darker parts of our lives that we tend to avoid sharing with the world.
The anima and animus account for how gender roles appear in our lives, with the anima representing how the male psyche conceptualizes the feminine and the animus representing how the female psyche conceptualizes the masculine.
The self is our truest essence of being - who we are when we have integrated our subconscious with the conscious.
Individuation
This describes the discovery of one's life purpose or what one believes to be the meaning of life. Also called self-realization, it refers to the process of finding a unique self-identity that is separate from other individuals. Individuation is ongoing and can be considered both a goal and a lifelong process.
As people individuate, they gain a distinct sense of self, separate from their parents and others around them. Under the right circumstances, people will form stable personalities and can easily describe themselves and their worldview. They are generally content with their life choices.
However, others who never developed a healthy sense of self can suffer a variety of negative consequences:
Depression/Anxiety
Lack of boundaries
Lack of self-awareness
Self-doubt
Low satisfaction with one’s life
Low self-esteem
Problems with motivation/goal-setting
Poor decision-making
Since one’s sense of self contributes to the differentiation and form of the individual psyche, those who don’t experience difficulty with this ongoing process may find it easier to maintain mental and emotional well-being.
Throughout life, people can lose touch with different aspects of their true selves. According to Jungian psychology, they may be able to reintegrate these aspects of their nature through self-realization.
Individuation is consequential for the development of healthy identities and relationships.
Individuation occurs throughout life but is especially important during adolescence when youngsters struggle to establish separate identities from parents and family:
Signs of Individuation in Adolescence
Egocentrism - Adolescents focus on themselves and aren’t invested in seeing the perspectives of others. During this period, it’s helpful for parents/caretakers to point out other people’s opinions and feelings.
Seclusion - The need for privacy appears at this age. Teenagers spend more time alone and aren’t as open about their lives. Parents/caretakers should respect this need while keeping the lines of communication open.
Rebellion - While distressing for adults, rebelling against previously accepted norms is typical at this age. Parents/caretakers should allow adolescents room to grow and explore (within reason) different aspects of their identity.
Change in Appearance - Changes in clothing, hair, and music are some of the ways youngsters express their newfound feelings and beliefs. Parents often object to these style alterations but shouldn’t take them personally.
Who among us doesn’t recall the struggle of our teenage years? Of all the life stages we go through, it’s the one I’d never want to repeat. Adulting hasn’t always been easy and is filled with its own problems, but adolescence was by far the most unpleasant for me.
My own individuation was crippled during this time, and it took many years to reintegrate successfully. Once that happened, I found peace and contentment.
I only wish I’d known then what I’m learning today. Hopefully, this information will enable you or someone you know to make the necessary changes to live a happier life.
I’ve included a poll below and would love to hear your responses!
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Which of the three stages of life is my fave?
All three! Childhood was brilliant, teenage years fulfilled my expectations and gave me learning and fun. Adult years have been filled with fulfilling growth.
It'd be unrealistic if there weren't pockets of sadness in all of those but it was mitigated and on reflection, I have been one very lucky person.
So interesting! Thanks for condensing these concepts in an easy to digest post. 🤩🫶🏻