Yin and Yang

Depression.

You don't know which way to go. Both choices suck. You feel trapped.

But you aren't trapped.

If only you knew the way out? 

But you DO  - you just needed someone to tell you the way. 

---

You're probably like me. You probably say: "I don't have a choice."

You see pain in both directions.

But here's what you need to know. One direction is a tiny bit LESS painful than the other. It's the LESS painful direction that will light your path out.

Because if you make the choice that's less painful you will be in a slightly different place. From that new place you can make another choice. Do the thing that hurts a little less.

Keep duplicating the process. Keep choosing what hurts the least.

Pretty soon you will notice that the choices you are making no longer hurt. You will notice that the choices you make might even feel good!

When that happens you are FREE!

But more than free - you now know how to never be trapped again!

---

I was so angry at the guy.

I wanted to punch him in the face!

... or I could curse him out!

Cursing felt better! (Whew - this system has already saved me from prison!)

OK - I'm going to tell him off now...

... or I could write a letter!

OK writing feels better.

So I can sit down to write that letter...

... or I can go for a walk.

The walk feels better. I'll walk

I can just walk...

.... or I can listen to some music while I walk.

... the music feels better!

And pretty soon I've got my mood back. That guy no longer has the power. I am the one that gets to choose.

---

So why don't we do follow our joy all the time? We think it's our problems that are pulling us back. But if we keep going back to the Yang we've given up our power.

I think we are simply out of practice.

Because throughout your life there have been many times were taught to force yourself to do things that made you feel worse. That's how we we're raised. 

We had to believe in someone else's god, follow someone else's rules, read what someone else wanted us to read.

We we're "good" boys and girls. They even gave us stars!

It wasn't their fault. They didn't know what society was doing to us. They were just doing the best job they knew how to help us turn out OK. (And end up just as powerless as they often felt).

But in helping us turn out OK they led us away from our joy. 

Because freedom and joy are the same thing.

So we gave up our own good feelings we gave up our power.

---

But it's not too late.

You can win the game of life back. You can feel better. You can really live again.

Now that you know what to do.

What will you do as soon as you finish reading this? I bet there is a choice slightly better than another.

You can get your power back. You can get back your joy.

Starting today.