Navigating Dark Times

Life’s ebbs and flows will sometimes take us through dark seasons. Even though these can sometimes feel endless, they won’t last always, and we can use some tools to make our way through them. This blog post’s title is really a double entendre, because we’re talking about two things here: navigating internal dark seasons and navigating when the world around you feels particularly dark.

Here are some things that might be helpful for you in making your way through the darkness:

This season won’t last forever. Like I said at the beginning, this too shall pass. It doesn’t mean that it wouldn’t be tough, or that you won’t suffer, but it does mean that this is not permanent.

Find bright moments in the darkness. Maybe it’s laughter with loved ones. Or the radical hope of a new baby being born. Or the beauty of nature. Or the sensory delight of a great meal. However small the joy, find it and savor it to remind of that there are good things even in our worst seasons.

Reach out to your community. Friends, family, neighbors are important for maintaining connections to other people when everything else seems adrift. Spending quality time with others helps to remind you that you aren’t truly alone, even in dark times.

Lean into things that take you out of yourself. This is a bit of a combination of the previous points. Cook food for your loved ones, or play a sport, volunteer in your community, or start a crafting project. Something that gets you out of your head, and perhaps out of your home.