Honestly. Really and truthfully … how many of us get this concept? I mean REALLY get it.  All the way down deep.  Where it counts?  The idea that, the most difficult situations will soon be gone with the wind that is time.  That even though things may “feel” a certain way, doesn’t necessarily mean that it is so.

Down in it. Whether it’s a real or imagined trauma is irregardless. It hurts. Scary. Aches.  Drenched in emotions like a dark room with no way out.  Most times we used to fumble around clutching at anything we could to anchor ourselves, sometimes the “wrong” things (yes i know i don’t like that wrong word either but poetic license k?).  You can almost feel the desperation oozing out the pores of our existence, just something – anything – anyone – anywhere – make it okay! You’ve seen it, felt it, been … it.  Wouldn’t be human if you didn’t.

Antidote? Remembering.  Every detail of the dark room.  Feeling your way around, knowing where the chair is so as not to bruise your shin again. Remembering with fingertips brushing lightly against the walls … the way out. Gracefully navigating the room of dark, nimbly and methodically calculating steps (get the metaphor yet kids?) to where you can see once again. Remembering that the dark ALWAYS, and yes I said always, can be pierced by the light of reason and hope.

It’s simply called having faith in your experiences (spirituality would help a smidge here also … whatever you choose to call that).  Using your brain and taking action in a way that fits with who you really are … or if you’re not who you like yet … who you WANT to be.  Pick a role model, sponsor or mentor or even the yahoo online you think is really cool, and ask yourself … how would they act? And then try it.

In the world of psychobabbling this is called cognitive behavioral therapy; changing the way you think and thereby the way you act.  Challenging faulty belief systems.  As a former counselor I simply call it … getting your head outta your ass.  It just doesn’t have to be a record skipping all the time,  you can learn with time and practice to play it all the way through baby.  And each time you do, finding your way outta “that room” will be not necessarily easier; but you won’t find yourself coming out covered head to toe in bruises. Unless you like it like that.  Which is another topic altogether.  Purply black isn’t a good color for you though … just sayin’.