Finding Light in the Darkness: Healing Through Depression
Have you been feeling heavy, disconnected, or stuck in an endless fog? You are not alone. Nearly 19% of adults in the United States suffer from depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
For me, this topic hits close to home. I spent much of my childhood in depression, and many people close to me still struggle with it today. Depression is not a permanent defect of the mind, and it is not something you are destined to live with forever, even if your temperament leans toward depressive tendencies.
What Is Depression?
Depression is more than sadness. It is a disconnection from self, purpose, and joy. It is the quiet voice of your soul telling you that you are off your path and that something needs to change.
In the early stages, depression can be subtle, but some common signs include:
Fatigue
Numbness
Irritability
Emptiness
It can feel like an energetic rebellion, a push from within urging you to grow and evolve.
Possible Roots of Depression
There are many areas you can evaluate within yourself to uncover what may be contributing to depression:
Trauma and unresolved emotional wounds
Chronic stress and burnout
Chemical imbalances
Lifestyle factors (sleep, movement, diet, addiction)
Unfulfilling work
Toxic relationships
Stagnation or lack of growth
Grief and loss
Depression is not a weakness or a shortcoming. It takes courage to face the parts of yourself that are struggling. You are not destined to carry it forever. Depression is a call to action, a call to growth, and a call to healing.
How to Heal from Depression
Step 1: Radical Self-Acceptance
The first step is learning to accept yourself fully. Stop resisting your emotions and allow them to exist without judgment. When you create space for your feelings, your spirit has room to speak and express what it has been trying to tell you.
Step 2: Surrender and Let Go
Surrender does not mean giving up. It means releasing control where you have none and taking action where you can.
Ask yourself:
Are you staying in a job that drains you?
Are you holding onto a relationship that has made you shrink yourself?
Are you stuck in a comfort zone so deep that even small changes make you feel sick?
You cannot control everything, but you can control your choices. If the job makes you miserable, you can find a new one. If your relationship is hurting you, you can set boundaries or choose to leave.
Side tip: When evaluating your relationship, ask yourself, “Am I in love with who this person is today, or the potential I see in them?” Often, it is the fleeting good moments we chase rather than true alignment.
Step 3: Shadow Work and Inner Child Healing
Depression often signals suppressed pain and unmet needs. When we bury our emotions, they eventually begin to shape our worldview and hold us back from our full potential.
Shadow work allows us to face what we have hidden, and inner child healing gives space to the parts of us that were neglected or unheard. Sit with your pain without judgment, and it will often show you where healing is needed.
Step 4: Reconnecting with Meaning and Purpose
Without a sense of “why,” depression deepens. We drift into aimless pursuits, addictions, and distractions — spending, binge-watching, gaming, intoxicants — but none of it fills the void.
Ways to reconnect with your purpose:
Acts of service
Pursuing creative passions
Choosing curiosity over fear and complacency
Trying new experiences, especially ones that make you uncomfortable
If you suffer from isolation, PUT YOURSELF AROUND PEOPLE. Connection is a basic human needs and when we are our only confidant it can dark fast especially in depression.
Purpose grows when we step beyond our familiar patterns and allow ourselves to rediscover what lights us up.
Step 5: Meeting Yourself Where You Are
Often, we dream so big that we create a painful gap between our “ideal self” and our current reality. The wider the gap, the more it impacts self-worth and confidence.
Lasting change comes when we focus on small, consistent steps rather than giant leaps. Meet yourself where you are. Give yourself compassion, patience, and grace while striving to grow a little more each day.
Step 6: Changing Your Environment
We are creatures of habit, and our environment shapes us more than we realize. If your surroundings keep you tethered to old versions of yourself, change them.
Your environment influences your thoughts, routines, and emotional state. New environments create space to adapt, evolve, and rediscover who you want to become.
When to Seek Professional Help
Therapy can benefit everyone, but sometimes it is necessary. Signs you may need extra support:
Persistent hopelessness
Thoughts of self-harm
Inability to function daily
Feeling trapped in your comfort zone and unable to change on your own
If this sounds like you, consider reaching out to a therapist, a life coach who specializes in healing work, or if needed, exploring medication as a temporary bridge.
A Call to Action
At New Ashla, we believe depression is a signal, not a sentence. It is the quiet whisper of your soul telling you it is time to grow. Suffering is often a call to transformation, a chance to become more than we currently are.
We teach meditation, prayer, energy work, self-awareness, and radical acceptance. By grounding ourselves in the present and meeting ourselves where we are, we open the door to becoming the best version of who we are meant to be.
A Final Note
You are not broken, and you are not alone. One in nine people knows exactly how you feel. When we live in our heads, it is easy to believe no one understands us, but that is not true.
Real change happens in small, consistent steps, not giant leaps. Be gentle with yourself. Offer yourself the same love and grace you give others. You are exactly where you need to be, and the path forward is yours to create.
Life is not about comfort. It is about growth, expansion, and answering the call of your spirit.
If this article resonates with you, share it with someone who may need it. And if you are ready to stop being “sick and tired of being sick and tired,” reach out for a complimentary coaching call and let us set you on a path toward healing and purpose.
With Love and Gratitude,
Michael Perry
Ad Lucum
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression
