I haven’t met anyone that loves the dark side of themselves. The dark side being the side with all your flaws and mistakes. Not the flaws that everyone mentions when they say I have flaws, I mean the deep flaws. The ones that have cost you relationships, friendships and even family members. That dark side can be hard to face, most of the time we don’t even know its there. It’s a shadow that waits to act in your place and when it does its only visible to those around you. We can’t possible see the dark side of ourselves on our own we are oblivious to it, you can try but inside your own head you fathom that you would behave that way. But we do.
So the question becomes how do you realize and face how you actually are?
Well it starts with having genuine people around you that don’t mind having hard conversations. I in fact hated this because I would take it as a personal attack. I was really sensitive to any constructive criticism. The only way that I got over was to continue having those conversations and really reflecting on what was said and seeing if it was true in my actions. Also determining whether that person came from a good place or a malicious place. Once someone points out something you do, there is no way you stay oblivious to your actions any longer it’s like a blindfold is lifted from your eyes.
So why is it important to have the dark side of yourself revealed?
Well for starters you can finally see how you really are. But more importantly you now know how you are, and can start the process of changing that behavior.
How can your dark side be revealed?
It requires 2 things: honest people and living life with them.
The first one: honest people, they have enough compassion and love to tell you the cold hard truth to your face. My mentor hated having difficult truthful conversations with people. But he did it because he loved the people close to him.
The second one: living with them, living life with people is the scariest thing to do. It’s like opening up yourself and having someone examine the innermost parts of you. But the more you do it and allow yourself to be seen the easier it is.
In closing I just want to leave you with this, DONT BE AFRAID OF OPENING UP. Allow someone to see you and help you fight this elusive enemy that resides within.