Your Dark Side Matters
Yes, for sure I’m bubbly, positive, & cheerful. And yet this isn’t all of me. I’m also live in the darkness from time to time.
My whole life I lived in this duality of being extroverted, Miss Positive, while also feeling waves of darker emotions take hold of me.
Most people didn’t know my darker side. For a long time, I rejected this part of myself because I thought it meant that there was something wrong with me and that I wasn’t supposed to feel this way. It wasn’t ok. This part of me was NOT ok.
Even when I shared how I felt, I was told to just focus on the positive. I felt I wasn’t taken seriously or being heard, validated, or safe to share this part of me. I was high functioning & was “managing”.
This looked like focusing on pleasing other people. Making them happy allowed me to ignore this darker part of myself & the painful emotions that came with it. I felt happy ‘enough’ on the surface —BUT, secretly, I felt flawed.
What I didn't know then that I do now after doing deep inner work on myself, is that NOTHING was or is actually wrong with me.
Feeling sad, depressed, or low energy IS a part of who I am & it’s not an uncommon part of the human experience in the world. It’s usually cyclical. It’s temporary. It’s NOT a problem.
I learned NOT to suppress my “darker” side. Instead, I get to notice it when it comes up & make space for it.I NOW give myself permission to allow myself to feel all of my emotions without suppressing them or judging myself for having them. I learned to be kinder to myself & tune in to my needs when I feel this way.
I slow down, journal more, take more walks, adjust my schedule to create more space, make fewer plans, & say “no” to the invitations that i’m not feeling up to. I learned it’s ok to change my mind & cancel plans when I need to —knowing that my people will continue to love me no matter what.
I learned that I rather disappoint others than disappoint myself.
I learned to see this lull of sadness as a gift & an opportunity to be kinder to myself, to slow down, go inward, & explore the depths of who I am. I let go of judgment even more, & am able to tune in to listening to myself, my body, & understanding what I need.
Today I get through these “down” periods with so much more ease & much quicker because I’m not fighting against my emotions or trying to suppress them.
Having a neurodiverse brain, be it experiencing depression, anxiety, ADHD, & having any other neurodiverse attributes does NOT make you broken or damaged. You’re given the opportunity to see the world with more layers & with more depth. Your brain & your emotions are a GIFT. Your neurodiverse brain is not something that is happening to you but is happening FOR you to discover your gifts:
To grow your capacity to love yourself (& others) with more grace & compassion
To go all in on yourself & accpet yourself fully without any stipulations
To see yourself as whole & perfectly imperfect
To set loving boundaries
To stop judging yourself
To see yourself as inherently worthy, deserving, & a precious gift to the world
Imagine how much more ease & space you’ll create by letting go of all the unkind thoughts & beliefs you entertain daily about yourself. How amazing would it feel for you to not beat yourself up all the time?! And it is 100% possible for you —Cue the BIG EXHALE.
This is the work that I do as a coach. I help clients let go of damaging beliefs that have taken up way too much time, space, & energy in their lives. I work with clients to deeply love & trust themselves to create more ease, flow, less struggle, & to make positive impactful changes that have been difficult to make on their own.
If this is resonating with you, schedule a free call with me & lets see exactly how I can support you.
#LifeCoach #Ease #EmotionalFreedom Joyful Living by Elizabeth #Neurodivergent #Depression #Darkness #SelfLove