Have you ever found yourself in a dark or hopeless mood, with seemingly no way out of it?

It can feel awful and even out of control.

Today, I am going to take a risk and open my heart to you, because I know how this feels. And then, I’m going to show you how you can get yourself out of this difficult place.

I woke up this morning at 6 am with such a feeling of angst. I just wanted to crawl out of my skin. While I recognized it as a familiar experience, it was very unpleasant to wake up to and seemed to stem from some forgotten memory in my childhood.

After I lay in bed for a while and couldn’t stand it any longer, I got up and sat down with a piece of pen and paper and began writing down what self-doubts were haunting me.

Get ready, because it’s not pretty, but again, I want to share this because you might relate to it:
• I am worthless
• I will never make it
• I can’t get my shit together
• I am so sad
• I hate myself
• I wish I could just disappear from the face of the earth without causing pain to the people around me
• I am cursed
• I want to stop my suffering

Can you relate to any of these thoughts and feelings? Maybe you have other sentences that make you feel defeated and forsaken. Externalizing them on paper can be really helpful, so try it the next time you are feeling low and hopeless.

But what do you do now with all this?

Let me reassure you: YOU have the healing balm for your own suffering.

One way you can get yourself out of a desperate energy field, like the one I felt this morning, is to write down a new list of feelings and sentences that is compassionate and loving towards yourself. It might feel impossible at first, but keep going. As you write these positive, loving words, your state of mind will slowly change.

Here is what I wrote next:
• I am lovable
• I am worthy
• I do one thing at a time
• My suffering is a gift and not a curse. When I work with it I grow and gain insight on how to help others
• I am precious
• I am a joy to be around
• I spread love, kindness, and joy wherever I go
• I love myself
• I have a valuable role to play in the lives of the people in my life. If I disappear from the face of the earth they will miss my unique love and medicine, which can remind them of their preciousness.
As I read these words, I began feeling relieved from the desperate state I was in. My panic began to subside.

As I reflected on my new empowered list, I did my morning stretches while telling myself these positive sentences. I felt my whole being move from a place of inner torment to a place of joy, bliss, and peace. I reminded myself that these are just powerful emotional energy fields that can be turned on, or switched off, using positive or negative thoughts.

You might think that such a simple practice couldn’t possibly be so effective. Trust me! It just takes your own gentle voice of self-love to shift your entire outlook.

If you are in a place that feels hopeless and desperate, try this simple exercise and find out how transforming it can be.

If you are touched by this exercise, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and share something personal or inspiring.

Here to help you live your highest calling,

Anna