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Writer's pictureRob Hicks

When the Darkness Takes Over

Positivity and optimism are important as you need motivation daily to keep pressing through to the light.

Some Back Story

Back a few years ago I was in a really dark place emotionally and mentally. I didn’t know what to do, and how to fix it. Nothing seemed to be going my way, and worse yet everything in my life was falling apart bit by bit no matter what I did.


Financially I was on the cusp of ruin, and working two full time jobs, and trying to be a father and husband. I was failing at everything I was doing. Worst of I was failing at being a parent, and not just a parent a father my kids deserved. One who was patient, awake, alert, not angry, and who was available.


I was lost, really lost. I was completely operating in a fog the entire time and nothing felt quite real, and looking back I made mistakes, but it all seems a dream state. I was operating on virtually no sleep seven days a week. I worked 9am-5pm, and 11pm-7am, and was a “father” between 5pm and 7pm. My now ex-wife and I fought quite a bit and I was constantly angry, and on the verge of tears. Yet, I pressed through as best I could.


I couldn’t handle anymore, and neither could my wife at the time, and I ended up splitting us up. We tried to mend things; however, it didn’t pan out and we split completely. We did, and do everything we can to make sure the kids know they are loved, and this has nothing to do with them. Everything we do we make sure there is love for the kids even if we don’t see eye to eye.


So how did I solve this problem at this point? I went to my doctor, and let her know how I was feeling and what was going. She told me to quit a job as NO one can do what I was doing. I was sleeping 4 hours per day at the most and not all at once. I quit a job, and she got me

into a self-help program which really helped out tremendously.


Back Into the Darkness

How come I am back into the darkness? It is not by choice believe me. I would prefer to be in the light all the time. Everything is nicer in the light. However you can’t have the light without the darkness. It’s a matter of balance, and perhaps things were going a little

to well for me, or perhaps the reality is I needed a reality check!


Hope, positivity, and optimism all become tested during the darkest of hours. Right now I feel I am in an uphill battle to the point where I was going to give up writing this blog and just call this end, and snuff out my hopes, and dreams. Thought was I’ve done it before, why can’t I do it again. The Darkness has taken a hold of me.


So how, this time, am I to get out of the darkness? How does one get of darkness? The darkness is all around, and it seems to have a hold on everything we cherish. The only way I am getting out of it now is by sharing this with others, and finding the positive reinforcement I need to make the turn, and head to the light. Finding the positive reinforcement isn't always as straight forward as one would expect, but it can be found.


Finding the positive reinforcement that you may need could be as easy as finding a loved one whom you can connect with. It could be as far out there as finding your purpose, and doing everything you can to live it. I know of people who have turned the corner and headed towards the lights of change and happiness by exercising more, or by being outside, or even finding those wonderful connections in those flawed creatures we call humans.


Darkness is nothing more than the absence of light: once you pour the light of human awareness and understanding into the darkest recesses of your being, you will become a being filled with light. Where there was once fear, there will be love. Remember what it means to be "en-light-ened": one filled with light.

- Robin Sharma (Daily Inspiration from The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari)


Are you enlightened as the definition above in the quote would suggest? Are you filled with light? Are you filled with darkness? Do you want to be filled with the light, and fight back the darkness? Well now is the time to pick up arms and fight back. Your mental, emotional, and spiritual well being is no joke. It is a very serious matter, and I implore you to figure out what you need to do to bring the light in your life, and fill yourself with it. Even though this time of year for me is one of the toughest most emotionally draining times of year for me with having just gotten past Father's Day I am starting to feel better about things as I am sharing my struggles, my defeats, and more importantly our victories.


How do you fight the darkness off? Do you require some assistance with bringing the light back into your life? I know I do sometimes, and reaching out and asking for help is not a sign of weakness, like we have been lead to believe, it is a sign of strength, emotional maturity, self-awareness, and courage. If you don't know where to turn to ask for help in guiding you let me offer some ideas.


Where to go for guidance include: Councilor, therapist, family, friends, mentor if you have one, manager, church, pastor, teacher or principal if you're in school, and maybe a complete stranger. There are tons of ways to get some guidance. Remember you are not riding this ship alone there are nearly 8 billion of us, and a whole helluva lot us have been down that road one way or another.


We are all in this together.


Ride hard, and live long


It's been my pleasure to write this for you.


Sincerely,

Rob


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