Too often we as human beings get thrown into a dark place within ourselves and its hard to find something strong enough to pull us out of it. It can be a very cold and dark world and if we do not have the tools and resources to be our own light the darkness can consume our hearts.
Things that throw us into darkness are often times internal wounds that haven’t been mended and are just left to fester and become infected making us bitter and blind to the beauty that life has to offer. Some of these things could be childhood trauma, abuse, loss of a loved one, substance abuse, heartbreak, discouragement, etc. Although it is not always our fault for the wounds we carry, it is our responsibility to heal them so we can live a joyful and healthy life.
The first step to finding your light is the awareness that you’ve lost it. Secondly you should become aware of your thoughts and triggers so you can learn where the wounds lie. Then you should offer yourself kindness and the space to have the triggers and reactions, understand that it is your body’s way of being in survival mode, don’t judge yourself for being a survivor instead be compassionate with your wounds and give them the love, nourishment and time they need to heal. Healing takes time, patience is key.
Once you’ve given yourself space to heal you will witness changes within and around you. Life will be beautiful once again and eventually when you are ready you can share your light with the rest of the world. To be the light for others may be to offer wisdom or guidance, or to just sit with someone and be the presence they need. Being the light is offering your strength to those that are in a moment of weakness, or simply offering a smile and joy to someone in random parts of your day.
Other ways to be a light is a often dark world is to simply be kind to others, offer to help someone carry their grocery bags to their car, let someone into traffic when you’re waiting at a stop light, hold the door open for the person behind you, and most importantly know when it is time to listen.