You are not Alone

Image by © Martin Meyer/Corbis

Today is the birthday of one of my favorite artists, Prince.  He doesn’t celebrate birthdays due to his faith, but I am still celebrating his life here on earth.  I am always inspired by people who are fully expressing their God-given talents and living life with passion and on purpose – he is the absolute personification of that.  Prince is being used by the Infinite in such a mighty way.  As I was going through some of his music this morning, I ran across a song that immediately took me back to how I felt in the midst of my depression at the beginning of this year.  It also reminded me of how I sometimes feel now that I’m working to actively live a life that is radically different than the way the majority of society is living.  The song is entitled “There is Lonely” – click here to take a quick listen (it’s 2 minutes long).

The song also reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend yesterday who is going through an emotional time.  I was sharing that one of the things that helped me most when I was in my lowest place was to just cry it out and feel what I was feeling.  Whenever I used to share with people that I was tired, overwhelmed, frustrated, etc., they would just respond with something like “you’ll be alright”, “you’re so strong – you can handle anything”, “just let go and let God”.  All those comments did was infuriate me and make me feel more isolated and lonely.  It made me feel like everyone else was getting over things so much easier than I was.  What that led me to do was keep it all inside…until eventually I was pushed to the limit.

For anyone that is in a tough place right now (or knows someone who is), know that you are not alone.  You are never alone.  You’re not alone in experiencing what you’re experiencing and, more importantly, you have a Source of great strength right within you.  There is a Divine presence that is within each and every one of us that will be our guide if we believe it and let it move through us.  Before we can do that, I believe there’s a period of release that must occur…an acknowledgement of the pain that we are experiencing instead of trying to supress it in order to seem “ok” to everyone.  Allow yourself to release the tears.  Allow yourself to acknowledge the hurt…fear…pain…anger…frustration…whatever it is.  For me, the way that I do that is putting on music, like Prince’s “There is Lonely“, that expresses what I’m feeling inside.  Then I just cry it out and write what’s on my mind in my journal.  After I get it all out, then I am in a better state to meditate on the Truth and my true purpose in order to move forward.

A book that really helped me with this is “The Depression Book: Depression as an Opportunity for Spiritual Growth” by Cheri Huber (thank you to my counselor for letting me borrow it!).  I know, the title makes it a little embarassing to carry around and read in front of others (at least it did for me).  It’s a SUPER quick read…I finished it in a few hours.  It’s written by a Zen teacher who just has an incredibly simple yet powerful way of writing that really shifts your perception quickly during your darker hours and helps you see the light.

I’ll leave you with a powerful exercise that Iyanla Vanzant shared on Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith’s radio show a little over a month ago.  She was discussing what she does when she needs a reminder that she is never alone.  Stand with you back against the wall or a big tree and affirm “God’s got my back” over and over until you really feel it and believe it with every fiber of your being.  Lean on that inner feeling of being supported.  I love this!  What a blessing that we don’t have to go through life on earth alone.  I am SO grateful.  Much love, everyone!

Keep Shining!

~Kandace

About the Author: Kandace Jones

I used to live life shackled by fear, doubt, and worry. I put on a happy face while navigating my day-to-day duties, but I was emotionally drained, stressed, and unhappy. When I hit rock bottom, and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, I was determined to live life differently. I knew there had to be another way. Out of that determination, and guidance from Spirit, the "Living in the Light" blog was born. It documents my spiritual journey out of the darkness and into the Light. After nine months of publicly sharing my journey, and consciously releasing my attachment to the ego, I experienced a powerful spiritual awakening. I went from living in fear, doubt, worry, and stress to complete inner peace. My greatest passion has become assisting others on their own journey to inner peace. My spiritual memoir, From Stress to Peace: An Intimate Journal on the Journey from Living in Darkness to Living in the Light, is available now on Amazon and BN.com. Click the tabs at the top of the page to learn more about the From Stress to Peace 21-Day Challenge, Living in the Light Retreats, 1:1 sessions, and the Living in the Light Community - all of which are designed to support your journey to inner peace. I appreciate you taking the time to visit the blog and look forward to supporting you in any way I can!