The Biggest Lesson Behind Your Dark Night of The Soul
It’s time to stop pretending. You’re not happy, and something needs to change.
At the beginning of my dark night of the soul, I felt incredibly lost. I had no idea what to do or how to cope with everything life was throwing my way.
Suddenly, I no longer resonated with the career I was getting myself into. I no longer enjoyed the company of most of my friends, and I could no longer pretend my family was not dysfunctional.
Every foundation of my life was falling apart.
That’s what happens when we live an inauthentic life — and that’s why we need to go through a dark night of the soul.
It’s Time To Stop Pretending. You’re Not Happy, And Something Needs To Change
A dark night of the soul takes place when you’ve outgrown your old life; when your old self is slowly fading away but your new self hasn’t yet materialized.
I know how painful and confusing it can be, but the Universe is giving you a chance to acknowledge what’s wrong and follow a better course of action. It’s giving you a chance to redirect your life and be honest about what you truly feel, want, and need.
However, that’s not possible unless you don’t identify the root causes of your unhappiness — and that takes a lot of work.
More often than not, one of the root causes is that we’re pretending to be someone we’re not. We’re performing to feel loved, accepted, and respected — which means we’re leaving our authentic selves behind.
“The problem is, the admiration and acceptance we receive through performing will never be authentic — because those who love the polished, superficial version of ourselves, have never seen us for who we are.
So let’s be honest.
Why are you trying to be someone you’re not if the real you has so much to offer? Why are you trying to be someone you’re not if your true self is right there, waiting for your permission to come out?”
Rejection Is Redirection
When my dark night first began, I thought I had everything figured out. I had scored an internship at the company I always wanted to work for, and I was finally planning on moving out of my parent’s house.
A few months went by, and I no longer felt joy in what I was doing. In fact, I was starting to feel extremely anxious.
I soon realized my job was not in alignment with my emotional and psychological needs. The real reason I wanted it was because it made me feel accepted and appreciated by my parents.
Chances are you’re going through something similar. You’re doing what’s expected of you, and you’re so used to ignoring your inner guidance system that you don’t even question your choices anymore.
My dark night of the soul forced me to acknowledge that I was not supposed to live the way I was living. It forced me to turn inward and listen to my intuition instead and prioritizing the opinions of those around me.
Most importantly, it made me to realize my desires were valid — and that I had every right to express them.
Without my dark night I’d still be trying to be someone I’m not.
So, if you’re just as lost, confused, and overwhelmed as I was, I encourage you to turn inward and get in touch with your true self — with the parts of your personality that you’ve left behind to be loved and accepted.
Maybe it’s that burning passion you’ve always had for painting, writing, dancing, or singing, but that you never believed was worth pursuing.
Maybe you’re surrounded by people and situations that don’t support your growth, and you need to let some of them go.
Maybe you’re stuck in certain coping mechanisms that don’t serve you anymore.
Maybe you have some deep-seated emotions that you’ve been suppressing since you were a child, and you now need to face them.
Whatever it is — stop ignoring it. Stop pretending. Be brave enough to learn the lessons your dark night is trying to teach you.
A dark night of the soul is a sign your old life was not in alignment with your true self.
The more you allow yourself to integrate the lessons behind this experience, the easier it will be to move forward.
And remember: you’re being given the redirection you didn’t know you needed. Use it wisely.
