10+ Ways To Manage Our Dark Sides
By Rylee
9 months ago
1. Accept your dark side
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You can’t fix a problem that you don’t know you have, can you? But the fact that you’re here is a sign that you’re owning up to your darkness. We all have some degree of darkness buried within, and that’s completely natural. Acknowledging your dark side is the first step in the right direction.2. Be positive and say it
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Ill thoughts lead to ill actions. But there can be little room for darkness if you fill your mind with light. Whenever a negative thought creeps in, turn it around. Be the half-glass-full type of person. See the positivity in every situation, and affirm your positivity by saying it out loud.3. Don’t live in the past – or future
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Live not life by the rear-view mirror but look past the windshield of the present to focus on today. Mistakes from our past can be the fuel that drives our dark side. The key to never letting it get the better of us lies in cutting it off. Live in the moment, not the past or the future.4. Keep your distance
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Our friends, family, and colleagues’ energies tend to rub off on us. If you stick around negative minds for too long, you’ll start to think like them. A social circle full of negative energy can accelerate your plunge into the abyss of your darkness. Spend no moment longer in such relationships5. Surround yourself with positive people
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“Show me your friends and I’ll show you who you are.” Surrounding yourself with positive energy is like keeping a fireplace for those nights when everything’s dark and cold. When you’re running low on positivity, your optimistic buddies will give you the jump-start you need.6. Watch the liquor
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Alcohol removes all the inhibitions that allow us to shackle the darkness slumbering within. It gives voice and power to the dark side of your personality that you shut out from the world. If you notice that bad things always happen after a night out on the town, you know what you have to do.7. Find healthy outlets
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We all have dark thoughts that we’d like to explore. Video games & virtual reality are especially useful outlets to let loose some of that pent-up energy. Beyond exploring your dark side in a fantasy realm, taking part in sports, fitness routines, or exercise at large can also do you a lot of good.8. Ditch that job
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I had a buddy who worked as a lawyer. He had to get his hands dirty protecting clients who readily admitted their guilt to him. He switched lanes to environmental law and is happier than he’s ever been. If a job requires you to turn off your humanity, you may be better off without it.9. Take a break
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The hustle and bustle of modern life can strip you down to the bone and deplete you of every ounce of goodness in you. That’s why it’s important to take a break from the nine-to-five, or whatever else that takes up your day. Regular breaks from schedule and structure may tame those inner demons.10. Don’t like it, don’t do it
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Peer pressure or the cage that is society can back us into a corner, in terms of what we are accepted to do or be. When we succumb to it, we stoke the flames of the darkness with apathy and despair. Do not put yourself in situations where you have to do things that you clearly don’t enjoy.11. Skip news
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While keeping an eye on current events is prudent, news today is just so goddamned depressing. But that’s just the way business works, because, you see, bad news sells paper and attracts TV traffic more than good. For the sake of your wellness, skip the odd news broadcast.12. Sleep it off
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Did you know that insufficient sleep results in a rise in negative emotions like sadness, anger, and frustration? To manage your dark side, you need to limit such emotions. And to do that, you need to get more sleep. Besides bolstering your overall health, sleep is also a time machine to breakfast.13. Face your fears
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Sometimes, the road to happiness lies just past your darkness. Instead of keeping it locked away in a forgotten closet like a piece of wear you’ve outgrown, it may be better to face your fears head-on. Once you get past this, you’ll realize there’s nothing to fear but fear itself.14. Laugh often
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“Laughter is the music of the soul. It carves apart darkness with light.” If negative emotions catalyze your dark side, positive ones have the opposite effect. Include laughter in your daily routine, be it in the form of your favorite sitcom or hanging out more with people who have a sense of humor.15. Forgive yourself
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Don’t beat yourself up. To err is human, and what’s important is that you find self-forgiveness. You can do that by not avoiding guilt but rather by taking responsibility for your actions and trying to repair the damage. Forgiving yourself is also about letting go and being kind to yourself.16. Be Flawsome
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“It is our imperfections that make us so perfect for one another.” No one’s perfect. And without your “flaws,” you really wouldn’t be you, would you? The sooner you realize that, the quicker you embrace your quirks and flaws. When that happens, your dark side will lose leverage over you.17. Understand your triggers
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Do you find yourself in situations that require you to go over the edge? These are your triggers. People can also be triggers, and the same goes for certain places as well. Indulging your triggers keeps you trapped by your darkness, so you want to cut them loose.18. Help others
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When you’re sick, you get medication for it. But how do you cure your dark side? There’s no magic bullet. But, helping others is often described as a prescription for depression and pessimism. Purpose to be kind. Volunteer in your community, donate spare items or share your experience.19. Keep a healthy work-life balance
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If you’re work-life equilibrium is off, this can take a toll on you and further amplify your dark side. The first thing you need to do is to separate your professional from your personal life and ensure the former doesn’t bleed into the latter. This may mean having to sometimes say no to your boss.20. Meditate more
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When building up on that work-life stability, healthy self-care practices like yoga and meditation might help you right the scales. Meditation might just be what you need to tidy up your mind, show bad thoughts the door, and focus on what’s good about you.21. Escape outside
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Being cooked up inside all day long can aggravate the darkness. A couple of precious rays of sunlight every so often can keep the darkness at bay and right our mood. That’s because exposure to sun rays encourages your mind to produce more of the “happy hormone” we know as serotonin.22. Try light therapy
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Also known as phototherapy, light therapy is an experimental type of treatment that involves exposure to light at certain wavelengths. Studies have shown it is effective at treating anxiety, anger, and depression, two hormones notoriously to blame for many life moments we’re not proud of.23. Be more social
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When loneliness is a constant companion, life can feel drab and murky. That’s where our friends come in. In the endless war against your darkness, you’ll need loyal allies by your side to lend a hand when the going gets tough. Meet people often and make regular plans to do something fun with pals.24. Read books
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Here’s a cool fact: you may be able to eliminate stress levels by 68% with just 6 minutes of daily reading. Dwelling on certain thoughts leaves the door ajar for your dark side to slip through. One way to shift your focus to something more productive is by reading a book.25. Write it down
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I keep a journal to help sort through my thoughts, especially when I feel overwhelmed by multiple negative ones. Once I write everything down, I explore which thoughts cause me the most distress. Then, I work through them by doing something about them or letting go if there’s nothing I can do.26. Get musical
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Music is more than an enjoyable auditory experience. It is also a great way to channel your focus and banish your stress. Whatever choice songs light up your soul, spare room in your daily routine to spend time with your favorite playlist. Better yet, be part of the music with karaoke self-games.27. Tidy up your space
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Believe it or not, our surroundings play a huge role in how we feel and our thoughts. A cluttered room might just be what’s tangling up your thought process and enabling negative feelings to fester. So don’t procrastinate. Always keep the space around you, work or home, clean and organized.28. Talk about it
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“A problem shared is a problem half solved.” We always feel relief, like a weight has been lifted off our shoulders, and renewal when we talk about our problems with a trusted friend. This is no coincidence. Discussing your dark thoughts with a friend might provide new perspectives and solutions.29. Cry it out
