Have you ever heard this quote before?
At first, I thought this quote was just about standing out. Being a ‘bright’ and positive person. Lighting up the people around you.
You could interpret it that way.
But there’s a lot more to it. What this quote really means, if only good things happen, you wouldn’t know they’re good, there needs to be contrast in life.
No happiness without sadness, no yin without yang. The universe is full of opposites!
Why Bad Things Can Be Good!
You’re probably thinking, ‘but Cheryl, if something is BAD, then why should I think it’s GOOD?’ Hear me out, I promise I’m not contradicting myself here!
Imagine if life was ‘perfect.’ Everyday was sunny, every single person on Earth adores you, and everyday you get to do whatever you want.
This might seem like paradise at first, but think about it for a bit longer. You’d be doing the same thing everyday, and everyone would always be the same with you.
Whilst it would seem nice at first to have everyday be sunny, you’d die without any rain. No rain means no water, no plants, no nothing.
Now I’m not saying that being happy all the time would kill you, I’m simply saying that it’s impossible. If you were happy all the time, you wouldn’t FEEL happy, you’d just feel normal.
In other words, without ever feeling sad, angry, disappointed, afraid, or ANY other emotion, you wouldn’t be able to feel happiness either. You can’t appreciate sunny days without rainy ones.
If there were no darkness, you wouldn’t be able to see the stars.
The Fool
Let me bring your attention to the Fool tarot card.
The Fool is number 0, and the classic design usually depicts a beggar in ragged clothes. Even with just the name alone, it doesn’t sound particularly positive, right?
However, what the Fool represents is quite different.
The upright Fool means having faith in the future, and experiencing new beginnings.
I don’t know if you’re a believer in tarot cards or not, but I think it’s quite interesting to note how such a negative looking card can mean something so hopeful. And that makes sense!
When you look back on bad things that have happened, they generally signify a new change and new things coming in, as the card suggests. So if we can catch ourselves during those bad times, and know that something new is coming, we can reframe how we feel about the bad times.
Receiving the reverse Fool tarot means that there’s still a new beginning coming, but you’re much more reluctant to begin it, and you’re probably trying to stay in your comfort-zone.
Often when you experience something particularly negative or life-changing, it gives you a wake up call. And you can either ignore that and stay feeling negative, or you can follow that wake up call and see where it takes you.
If you feel like you’re shrouded in darkness, you’d probably want to find a way out, right? And the only way to do this, in real terms, is to try something new – to regain your ‘shine’.
Applying The Stars and Darkness to Life
Going back to the quote, I would say that stars and darkness apply to all aspects of life, and it’s all about perspective.
Take ‘failure’, for example.
Life isn’t necessarily easy, and some of the tasks and activities in life are not easy. Failure happens all the time, yet many see it as the end of the road.
But failing once doesn’t mean you should give up. Failure is just feedback. All it means is that particular thing didn’t work, so hey, you should try something else! And it’s up to you whether you choose to focus on the stars or the darkness.
Focusing on the darkness (the negatives) means that the second you ‘fail’, you’ll instantly give up, and think about where and how you messed up. But if you focus on the stars, you’ll realise that now that you haven’t failed, you’ve just learned more about how to succeed, and that it’s time to try again.
It all depends on your mindset. Whilst you should be aware of negatives, in order to learn and grow, you should also be aware of the positives, in order to be grateful.
Be Open to New Opportunities
If you can see ‘failure’ as learning, then this enables you to be open to new opportunities.
There’s a light at the end of every tunnel, you just need to find it. And often, that means stepping outside of your comfort zone.
No matter what the outcome is, you can still be a star shining in the darkness. Or, since it’s now December, maybe a Christmas light!!
If you’re looking to learn more about yourself and try something new, then reach out to me at cheryl@cheryl-chapman.com, so that you can join us at our next speaking event!
And just remember, no star can shine without darkness.
Cheryl xx
PS – The genetic blueprint really helps with understanding who you are and what you are here to do – fill in this 2-minute questionnaire and I will send you your own ‘genetic blueprint’ which will help you understand yourself so you can begin to find your why! You will find it here.
PPS – If the link doesn’t work for any reason (sometimes technology has a bad day) then email me on cheryl@cheryl-chapman.com and I will sort it out for you!
PPS – If you liked this blog and want to read more blogs surrounding female empowerment, you can find last week’s here: ‘What Public Speaking does for YOU!‘
“I’m on a global mission to help 10 million disheartened souls, who are at a crossroads, to STOP asking why me? And START saying why not me!”