4055: How to Be the Light in Dark Times AND Why Being Stuck in the Middle is a Good Thing by Randi Kay of NaturallyRandiKay

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[00:00:58] [SPEAKER_02] This is Optimal Living Daily. How to be the light in dark times. And why being stuck in the middle is a good thing. Both by Randy K of naturallyrandyk.com. And I'm Justin Malik, the guy who's been reading to you every day, including holidays, since 2015. And I'm gonna keep that up, so let's get right to it and continue optimizing your life.

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER_02] How to be the light in dark times. How to be the light in dark times. By Randy Kay of naturallyrandyk.com. The media is always flooded with not so great things, but the past few weeks have been particularly heartbreaking. It's easy to get caught up in everyone's opinions and reporters over-dramatizing everything. But what does that really do? How does that help anything, really?

[00:01:47] [SPEAKER_02] What if instead of perpetuating the drama, we offered something else? Something that might seem completely unrelated, but could actually offer a remedy? And that remedy is simpler than you think. Be the light. As my dear friend Albus Dumbledore said, happiness can be found in the darkest of times if one remembers to turn on the light, end quote. And during dark times, we have a choice to either keep feeling around in the dark or turn on the light.

[00:02:14] [SPEAKER_02] The summer solstice is happening on Tuesday, which means it's the longest day of the year. Daylight will stretch and bring light to the darkest hours of the night. What a wonderful time to counter some of the dark occurrences with a bit of light. So, how to do this? Where to begin? The specific manifestations of it really does depend on the situation. Reading the room, knowing the audience, so to speak. But here are a few things to consider, no matter the situation. Ask, what is needed?

[00:02:43] [SPEAKER_02] Say you are at a funeral of a loved one. A family member is trying to manage their children, as well as keeping food on the table. He has his hands full. You, on the other hand, have a moment and know a fun game to keep kids busy, so you offer to watch them for a bit. Or you take over the task he was trying to accomplish. Looking around and observing what is needed, be it another helping hand, a simple hug, or an appropriate joke to lighten the mood, might be just what the doctor ordered.

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_02] These humble tasks can bring some much-needed light to any situation. Use social media wisely. Over the years, I've stayed away from talking about the issues on social media. It's not that I don't care or have things to say, but social media is not the place to really make a difference. At least not in my experience. More often than not, it perpetuates the drama and flat out depresses everyone. It's like feeding your brain constant negativity.

[00:03:38] [SPEAKER_02] It's good to stay in the know and not shield ourselves from what is going on, but most of what I see, or people's responses, certainly do not bring light. I would suggest to keep social media and other news feeds to a minimum. And if you do post something, be very thoughtful and intentional about it. Ask, will this bring light or add to the drama? And if it adds to the drama, ask yourself if you really want to be a part of that. Heal your own darkness.

[00:04:06] [SPEAKER_02] I would argue that the darkness we see in the world is a reflection of our inner darkness. Anger, violence, dominance, and judgment on others are ways people are trying to deal with those emotions within themselves. Part of my mission with self-care is to chip away at healing those inner wounds. When we heal ourselves, we heal our relationship with the rest of the world. We give what we are. I would also argue that if you are one that tends to perpetuate the drama,

[00:04:33] [SPEAKER_02] when you work on that inner darkness, the desire for drama will diminish. The negativity that you hold and are even drawn to will transform. You'll even be more enlightened on how to spread the light to those that need it the most. Heal yourself and the rest of the world will follow. This I truly believe. I'm going to end with another lovely quote, and I hope you take this simplicity to heart. The world needs more light. Our lives need to be lighter with things, with expectations.

[00:05:02] [SPEAKER_02] Consider that as you respond to the world around you and act accordingly. Quote, travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light. Yogi Bhajan Why being stuck in the middle is a good thing by Randy K of NaturallyRandyK.com Happy May Day, Medears.

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_02] May Day is a celebration of spring, a glorious but often awkward season. While I've expressed my accolades of the season in a previous post, here's another spring observation for you and theme for this week's newsletter. Embrace the in-between times. This time of year can be a little annoying. The romance of hibernation has dwindled. Our bodies and souls are in desperate need of sunshine, and we just want summer to be here already. Thus lending spring to be this odd time of transition.

[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_02] But, dear reader, we need the spring. We need this pause. This twilight season of transition. Because this is when the growth happens. This is when we are given a chance to work through the unknown to set the stage for what's to come. In my yoga classes, I always take time to pause in between postures. It is oh so tempting to want to cruise on through to the next thing, but it's in the pause, that middle realm, where you get to reset and be fully present for what comes next.

[00:06:24] [SPEAKER_02] Transitions are tough, though, and it can seem like that hardest time in your life. But I've been through many a tough transition in my short life, and looking back, those times have been some of the sweetest times. Why? Because the in-between times are like a blank canvas. You have so much behind you to learn from, and so much ahead of you to create. Though it's hard and confusing, there's also this excitement and adventure to it. In Ayurveda, the most sacred time is considered to be right before dawn.

[00:06:53] [SPEAKER_02] That still, beautiful moment right before the sun rises to begin a new day. It's in the magical twilight that you get to set the tone for what's to come. In conversations with my friends and clients, it seems that a lot of us are in this, riding the in-between train, right now in one way or another. If this is you, I ask you, how can you use this time for good? What foundation would you like to set for the next season to come? What do you want to take with you, and what do you want to leave behind?

[00:07:22] [SPEAKER_02] How much more can you grow and improve right now to be able to hit the ground running when this phase has passed? Hopefully the answers that come to mind make you excited and give some new purpose to an otherwise frustrating time. I shall leave you with a quote by Barbara DeAngelis. Quote, The moment in between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place, end quote. So, dance it up.

[00:07:52] [SPEAKER_02] You just listened to the post titled, How to Be the Light in Dark Times, and Why Being Stuck in the Middle is a Good Thing, both by Randy Kay of NaturallyRandyKay.com. I'll be right back with my commentary. Now, I don't know about you, but I've left doctor visits with a you're fine, no real data, no game plan. After driving over, waiting forever, sometimes getting sent to a lab across town for more waiting. That's why I'm fascinated by superpower. A licensed professional comes to your home

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[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_02] Thank you to Randy. The social media point in the first article is probably the most practical thing in there. Just asking yourself before posting, will this bring light or will it add to the drama? Because most of what gets shared during difficult news cycles adds to the drama, even when it comes from a good place. And I think most of us know that, but we share anyway because it feels like we're doing something, like helping.

[00:10:06] [SPEAKER_02] I don't know, it's a tough one. And the second article brings up a good point, this idea that the in-between times aren't just waiting rooms. They're actually where a lot of the real work happens. The yoga pause between postures is a good image for it. You could rush straight through to the next thing, but the pause is where you reset and prepare. I think a lot of people are in some version of a transition right now, whether it's career, relationships, direction in life.

[00:10:36] [SPEAKER_02] And the instinct is to just get through that as fast as possible. But Randy's point is that that might be the wrong approach. So if you're in one of those in-between seasons right now, what would it look like to actually use it well? Something to think about. But with that, we've reached the end for today. Thank you for being here. I hope listening every day is able to add and compound to your life like it has for mine. Have a great rest of your day, and I'll be back tomorrow. Where your optimal life outweighs.