We all have to deal with darkness at some point in our lives. It is inevitable, no matter how hard we try to avoid it. However, when problems come knocking on our doors, there are many ways that we can overcome them and find the light again. This blog post will show you ways to help you get out of the dark place that you may be in right now.

Darkness is inevitable

Darkness is something that we will eventually encounter at some point, or even moments, in our lives. Nobody leads a perfect life on earth. People from all walks of life experience darkness. Darkness comes as a result when problems in our lives become too overwhelming for us to bear. Death of a loved one, losing your job, being afflicted with a life-threatening disease, not having enough money, or being caught in an unfortunate accident are examples of things that can bring great distress to us. One of these can be devastating enough, but having several of them occurring one after the other or, worse, simultaneously can thrust us deep into the shadows and make us think about all sorts of negative and dark things in our minds. When left unchecked, dark thoughts can lead to depression and might drive one to go to the other side and do some unsavory things to himself or others.

It can be hard to talk about things involving darkness as they can be uncomfortable for most. However, it becomes all the more important to discuss these things and solve them. People might hide what they are going through during these critical times, that a person will need the utmost help from other people. Many people undergoing suffering are left to fend for themselves, and as a result, they think that the light of the world is lost upon them and leads them to do drastic things like taking their own life or committing a crime. They could have prevented situations like these if only people had taken the time to reach out and understand the plight of others. If help from others is not readily available, we must also learn how to overcome darkness by ourselves, and there are several ways we can do that.

1. Practice gratitude

When you are in the darkest moment of your life, take a breather and try to analyze your situation. Are you really at the worst moment of your life? Can't the problems be solved anymore? Focus on what you currently have and can do versus what you don't have. The practice of gratitude comes in handy in situations like these. The simple fact that you are still breathing is already a grateful thing. Find the things around you that you can be thankful for having. Practicing gratitude helps quiet the negative thoughts in our minds and puts us in a better position to find the light.

2. Don't give up

It feels easy to raise the white flag when we are overwhelmed by darkness. Giving up means that the night wins. If you decide to give up, do it only after exhausted and have done every option and action you can take to solve your problems. And even if you already tried everything, there may still be a new option out there. Maybe you didn't find it because you haven't talked to the right people who can provide it. Don't entertain the thought of giving on yourself because the moment you do, you wouldn't even bother trying to get back up and be motivated to ask for help from others. Remember your goals and vision and use them as motivators to get back there and encourage yourself to walk again in the path of light.

3. Ask for help

Many times, our moments of darkness could have become more manageable if we only shared our burdens and reached out for help from others. Our family, friends, relatives, and peers can assist us. Having a solid community and support group around you can help you realize you are not alone in dealing with your problems. However, some of us out there might not have friends or people who can readily ask for help. So if you find yourself to be a person who doesn't belong to a community or group, try to reach out to whoever you can if you are in dire need of help, such as the authorities or mental health professionals. Some organizations and groups provide assistance and support to individuals needing help in various areas, and they usually have a hotline number that you can call. You don't want to make the situation any harder than it is.

4. Treat darkness as a lesson

An excellent way to lessen the negativity in our heads when darkness happens is to treat these things as learning experiences. When problems occur, sometimes it is a reminder of something we are neglecting to do in our lives. For example, if you get afflicted with a severe ailment, it could be because you are not leading a healthy life in the first place and is afraid to admit it. If you become financially broke, it could be because you are not wise in spending your money and not keeping any savings, and you don't see it until the problem comes. In case the problem is an unfortunate accident beyond your control, you cannot blame yourself entirely. If you got in a car accident despite driving safely and following traffic rules, you might form the idea in your mind to be more cautious when driving on the road where the accident occurred or find some alternate route. Moments of darkness can teach us what doesn't work and help us find new ways to do things so that when another problem comes, we know how to approach and solve it.

5. Take it slowly

Some problems in our lives are big enough to take a long time for us to recover and get through them. Debts, serious diseases, and breakups from relationships are examples of things that take time for recovery. When you finally decide to solve your problems, do not focus too much on the big picture. Pay attention to what you can do at the moment and take small steps from there. Break free from darkness gradually until the light shines again on you. Try to get to know yourself better through counseling, therapy, or spirituality so you can push yourself better in overcoming the darkness.

6. Have faith

When you have tried every possible option, including asking help from others, and you still find yourself in the dark, there is still one thing that you can do, and that's to have faith. Have faith in some higher form of power to guide and help you when all else fails. For example, if you are a Christian and believe in Jesus Christ, turn yourself up to Him and do some prayer and hope that He guides you through the night. If you belong to a different body of faith, you can do the same. Pray and do what you can and hope for the best.

Don't let light get extinguished in your life.

Throwing in the towel feels very tempting to do when you think the only light in your life is getting extinguished. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" and "there is a light at the end of the tunnel" are a couple of quotes that can serve as inspiration for you always to seek the great light. We might have experienced pain and trauma from our time in the darkness, but we can still win as long as we are alive. The true light of the world is just waiting for us. The recovery process at the beginning might be challenging, but it is that first step that can lead us to happiness. So take action, gain wisdom from others, and overcome the darkness in your life.