In finding a way to mend a broken spirit let’s first discuss what a broken spirit is. To me someone with a broken spirit is someone who’s void of light. In closing my eyes and imagining what this looks like, I envision a prism suncatcher hanging in a window and I take notice on how the beautiful rainbow of colors it creates dance across the room, these flecks of color are completely dependent on the amount of sun coming in the window. Most days there is a bit of fluctuation do to the weather, just like our spirits fluctuate due to life circumstances. If however, we take the suncatcher down and place it in a dark drawer and close it, there is no longer a way for the light to find the prisms. A broken spirit is like this, it’s void of light with a veil keeping the light out. The veil often being sadness, depression, loneliness, shame, guilt, anxiety to name a few. So how then, can we mend a broken spirit ? Here are a few thoughts……
1) Feel your feelings Instead of trying to push them away, give yourself permission to feel and hurt and scream if needed, release what’s needed to create a path forward.
2) Stay clear of addictive behavior that may allow you to be numb in the moment. These vices only make things worse. If you already find yourself in this position (( it’s going to be ok )) reach out for help, let someone in who can help guide you away from this behavior, I know this may feel scary but the hardest step is the first, every step afterwards becomes easier and easier. YOU CAN DO THIS !
3) Make it a point to search out each and every blessing in your life, no blessing too small. Do this like your life depends on it because your happiness does. Being an active participant in practicing daily gratitude automatically allows in light, it’s like opening that dark drawer and allowing sun to kiss the prisms, the reaction is immediate and undeniable.
4) Give yourself permission to talk about how you’re feeling. Talk with someone you trust or seek guidance from a professional and give yourself the freedom of voicing what’s wrong. You may feel that you’ll break in uttering the words but you’ve done hard things before and you can do this too. ASK FOR HELP if needed. Don’t talk yourself into feeling that this is just how things are going to be. You deserve a life where you can dance in the light like the flecks of colors from the prism dance across a room.
5) Make an action plan, set some daily goals you know you can accomplish, they don’t need to be big, they just need to be steps towards positive change, with each step forward, more light will enter.
6) Don’t allow yourself to be comforted by the dark, it will play mind games and make you feel safe hidden away but it’s a false sense of security. How do you not allow this to happen ? Stay aware and don’t get comfortable in the dark.
7) Surround yourself with positive people, even if you don’t feel like it in the moment, challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone and allow the light of others, help spark your own.
8) Look after your wellness from the inside out. For your emotional health, make sure you do things that bring you joy, maybe it’s spending time in nature, listening to music, reflecting in prayer, playing an instrument, working on a diamond art creation, whatever it is that brings you inner joy, make time for it. Hand in hand with this, feed yourself food that nourish you mind, body & soul and move that body to get those joy giving endorphins going. No act is too small !
9) Don’t EVER give up, fight with everything you have to do the needed work to climb into the sun. It’s amazing, what can change in the blink of an eye and what may seem like a hopeless situation one moment can become manageable in another.