Light and dark perspectives equally contribute to the big picture
I sometimes wonder, how do others find the balance through their highs and lows? Since we are all different, we'll have different coping mechanisms, too, I’m sure - depending on the kind of low we have to face, in addition.
My main strategy seems to be diving into my art even more deeply, whenever I feel a low coming. I try to change my focus from what’s worrying me to what brings me joy and fulfillment. This turned the tide to my favour more than once.
Getting active outdoors helps, also. Not paying attention to my mobile phone (or being somewhere, where the reception is at its best problematic) can only contribute for the better :)
I got to think about this when confronted with the 'always think positive'-stuff out there, the last time I got annoyed about something and had the space to calm down and reflect upon it, afterwards - which, let's face it, doesn't happen very often, if our days are busy.
Mostly, we just get to spiral into negative feelings and small annoying events, simply because our attention and patience went out the window with the incident that started the spiral, instead of taking a step back (my method - count to ten and take 1-2 deep breaths, before reacting) and embracing the fact that failing at something is an equal part of the process, just as successful actions. And, most importantly, it's okay to feel upset about it.
Not exactly the standard one gets to hear when something goes wrong, nowadays.
Which I think is wrong.
Just imagine how much this way of thinking is contributing to putting pressure on ourselves - considerating valid only the path which brings us to the desired goal.
How about instead of acknowledging the ‘successful’ road, we see it as it is - without the ‘dead-ends’, we wouldn’t have recognized the one we were looking for in the first place, anyway.
Hey, we all make mistakes, now and then, and I know that 'bad news' will knock on our door, too, from time to time.
But I also believe that the difference in how we deal with the low, the negative, the less desired will 'make or break the deal' for us, in the end, helping us to either enjoy the good times longer or hold on to the negative more than necessary.
On this note, I'm sure you've heard about the yin-yang symbol (Tàijí Tú).
Well, the theory of yin and yang is based on studying the natural phenomena, the contemplation of regularities and their transition/variation - like the regularly happening transitions of the seasons or the alternation of day and night.
In other words, this theory implies that contrasts don't exclude, but rather complement each other.
My conclusion to this theory is that being upset about something is the reverse side of being happy and thus completes the spectrum of emotions we are able to feel.
Yes, I know this doesn't help much when one is hurting, but this thought has helped me more than once to get through the dark times, feeling reassured the bright ones are on their way and the sun will always shine through, after the storm has passed.
Which is what I wish for you, too - strenght, to get through the hardships and trust, that happiness is on its way.