It is Saturday night and I am rebounding on my mini trampoline (so good for the body and mind), watching a movie on www.Gaia.com. The main character just broke his neck in a car accident, lost his job, became homeless and depressed.
This made me remember the hardest times of my life and the dark forests I have had to stumble through to find my way to the sunshine and happiness I now experience.
Losing everything is very humbling. I am grateful to have experienced this in my life and I will explain why in a moment.
I felt inspired to write a blog and make it a letter to you the reader that might be struggling with something in your life.
Here is some information that I think you will find useful when experiencing tough times and trying to find your way out of a dark forest in your life...
1. This too shall pass. These words got me through some very dark painful days. I kept reminding myself that every storm eventually ends and clear skies prevail. There is something soothing about those four words for me. Even if you are in the middle of the storm, keep the faith that the clear skies are coming and you will see them again.
2. I became the strongest and grew the most from the most painful times in my life. I often tell people that my divorce was the most painful thing I have experienced in my adult life, but I also say it was by far the greatest gift. My former wife left with no warning, I had no job and $100 in the bank. But just like the phoenix always rises from the ashes, I too found my way back up. But what I did not expect was that losing everything gave me everything! It gave me myself. I came home to myself like never before. I discovered my inner world and am now more happy, peaceful and abundant than I have ever been before.
3. Sometimes we have to go to where we don't want to be to find out where we do want to be. Looking back on my life it has become very clear that I needed to experience what I did not like to find out what I do like. So if you are currently in a situation where you feel like a failure please consider one way of looking at your situation is that the journey you are on is perfectly orchestrated so that you can find out where you will shine the most.
4. Contrast creates momentum. Today I am a Clinical Hypnotherapist, a vegan body builder, single, celibate and loving my life expressing my gifts and helping others. I have never felt more alive and on purpose before. Losing everything forced me to create something more amazing than I could have ever imagined. The darkness is a catalyst which can propel you towards the greatest version of yourself.
5. You are not alone. The majority of the people you see walking past you on the street, the ones that look successful and happy, are also struggling with dark painful things in their lives. You are for sure not alone in what you are going through. This may not stop your suffering but it may stop you from beating yourself up for being in a tough spot. I remember being down and then beating myself up for being down, thinking everyone else was so happy. You are not alone with your struggles.
The most important thing I can tell you is NEVER GIVE UP. You have the ability to turn your struggles into catalysts that propel you to becoming the greatest most powerful version of yourself.
You can do this.
I believe in you,
Adrian
PS - You have the ability to turn your struggles into catalysts that propel you to becoming the greatest most powerful version of yourself!
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