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- We're in the dark place...
My emails are sporadic, so in case you forgot…
I’m Terri. An editorial consultant, speaker and independent journalist who talks feelings, personal development, and some money tips all wrapped up in empathy.
Every time I’ve wanted to send one of these out, something huge happens, and suddenly what I had planned seems ill-timed.
From the horrible fires in LA to DEI initiatives being dropped, two plane crashes in one week, and ICE tearing families apart, there’s no question that we are in a dark place. Dark places tend to come with a little discomfort and a sense of hopelessness. It can all be very debilitating. Fortunately, a lifetime of dance experience has taught me that when you find yourself in a dark place, the best thing you can do is settle into it.
Darkness is all about perspective. This is especially true in the performance world. You can be the person surrounded by darkness seated in front of the curtain, calmly yet intrigued. Or you can be the person behind the curtain, scrambling to find your spot, full of nerves, wondering if anyone is watching while counting out beats in your head in the hopes you don’t screw it up. But once you feel the rhythm — It’s on!
The tempo doesn’t matter. Who is watching doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that you don’t let the darkness stifle you.
That’s hard to do when the space around you is filled with darkness, reminding you that you have no idea who is watching every step or trying to predict the next step. It’s also complicated when the rhythm within the darkness is far too overwhelming to find your footing.
These days, the rhythm within each performance is never ending. The dance often looks like setting up a GoFundMe, joining a March, shouting on social media, or crying “community” amongst others. Each dance has its place. Still, the beat may be misaligned if they’re dancing with no regard for the darkness.
The beautiful thing about choosing your dance is that there’s no shortage of genres. Inhale the darkness, listen for your rhythm, and then take your step.
It’s a strength to sit in the silence so you can clearly hear your heart.
What I’ve learned is that seeing the darkness is completely different than acknowledging and accepting the darkness. Yet, that’s what we sometimes do, which is a bit frustrating for everyone involved. Your goal may not have changed. But your conditions around it have. Be open to adjusting accordingly within your abilities.
It’s like driving on a dark farm road with no street lights in the pouring rain. You wouldn’t drive the same way you would during the day or even on the highway. That would be seeing the darkness and not accepting the darkness. Instead, you might drive a bit slower, put on your high beams, turn on your flashers, turn off the radio, or follow another car. You might pull over to compose yourself while figuring out the best way to drive through it. Or you could determine that you aren’t equipped to drive in those conditions, so you wait out the darkness and rain or even call someone to pick you up.
Bottom line: There are no wrong answers. There are only misguided answers if you choose to ignore what’s happening around you.
Settling into the darkness is proof that there’s just as much power in feeling as there is in seeing.
A lifetime of dance has taught me that it’s a strength to sit in the silence so I can clearly hear my heart.
This newsletter is a labor of love…
A labor of love that took me nearly 6 hours to write. But love doesn’t pay the bills. If you love what I’m doing, consider buying me a pizza. If you want to spread the love, share the link to my page with someone who needs it. It’s free and public!
Read This…
For some people, the darkness is all around them. For others, it constantly lives in their head as shame. This post is for you, regardless of where on that spectrum you may fall.
Regrets happen. But life gets much better when you forgive yourself for them.
These affirmations may help you FEEL the light when seeing it seems impossible…
Happy Life Tip
Gather proof of humanity and keep it close
Hope is a key component to seeing progress and precedes action. Yet, it’s tough to keep hope alive when the sky is falling down and social media constantly reminds you of it. That’s why I created a folder within my social media accounts called “proof of humanity.” It’s where I collect the random posts and videos displaying the light in this world. I turn to it when the world around me is heavy. When feeling disheartened, turn to your “proof of humanity” files. Hopefully, your selected collection will instill enough hope to help you move forward in whatever way makes sense.
Interesting links from around the web… (Some of these might be affiliate links)
Downloading this app is one way to do good when you don’t have a good budget.
Yesterday’s price is not today’s price.
Been using this to collect addresses/birthdays so I can send cards out like I used to.
The cost of groceries never went down, and I never stopped trying to get cashback for them.
Bought jewelry from this Black-owned business and received great customer service
You will do great things
Find out how long it will take to read certain books
This is one of the videos I’ve saved in my proof of humanity folder
You can create the blueprint for work-life balance (I wrote this)
Need a pep talk? Let’s chat.
Want to work with me? Book a consult
I sincerely hope these links and tips bring you to a better place mentally. If nothing else, please take this with you and repeat it daily as needed.
"This isn’t the end. It’s an open-ended question."
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