Episode 7: Dark Nights Don’t Last Forever (Solo Episode)

Truth Then Dare with Dr. Nandi Shareef

In this empowering solo episode of the Truth Then Dare podcast, Dr. Nandi Shareef explores the concept of "Dark Nights of the Soul", a phrase coined by 16th Century Spanish Mystic, St. John of the Cross, which are those challenging periods in life when everything seems overwhelming and unending. Drawing from her own experiences with hardships such as job losses, relationship challenges, and personal grief, Dr. Nandi offers practical techniques and uplifting advice to help listeners navigate through dark periods and hold onto hope.

Key Topics:

1. Techniques for Self-Soothing Through Dark Nights:
   • Take Care to Take Care: Invest in self-care practices to create a comforting space through scent-scaping with candles/essential oils, meditation, journaling, and taking showers or baths.
   • Physically Move Through Challenges: Engage in physical activities like taking walks with gratitude meditations, dancing to favorite tunes, or practicing yoga to release tension and improve your mood.
   • Meet Yourself Where You Are: Identify and nurture the different parts of yourself such as your protectors and exiles (from No Bad Parts) or your inner child, teenager, unhealthy adult (variations from both Susan Anderson’s literature and Lori Jean Glass’ work) by understanding their needs and providing age and context-specific comforts.
2. Ways to Hold On to Hope:
   • Reflect on Past Resilience: You've survived every hard day before, drawing strength from personal history or ancestral perseverance.
   • Your Vision Over Your Circumstances: Remind yourself that your long-term vision and goals are more significant than your current struggles.

Quotes:

• “I care enough about myself to take care of myself.” - Dr. Nandi Shareef
• “You want to identify the parts inside of you that are having this difficult experience and ask them what they need from you.” - Dr. Nandi Shareef
• "In every point in your life, especially during a dark night of the soul, you deserve a soundtrack, too, one that actually helps to narrate and firm up the experience that you're experiencing." - Dr. Nandi Shareef

#TTDareoftheDay: 🚶🏾‍♀️This week, I dare you to take a walk and listen to a gratitude meditation. As you move, reflect on the things in your life you can appreciate, no matter how small. Let this moment remind you that your long-term vision is so much bigger than today’s challenges. You’ve got this—keep moving forward with gratitude.

Time stamped discussion points:

00:00 How it feels to endure repeated life adversities and strive onward

04:37 The importance of prioritizing intentional self-care and personal well-being

09:45 Exploring practices such as gratitude meditation and dancing to improve mood

11:50 Identifying the internal parts we all have and the value of understanding their needs

14:47 How creating a personal soundtrack for difficult times changes everything

17:50 A call to action to cling to hope and allow your vision to transcend your current struggles

Resources Mentioned:

• Book Recommendation:
  • "No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model" by Dick Schwartz
  • The Journey from Abandonment to Healing: Turn the End of a Relationship into the Beginning of a New Life by Susan Anderson
• Artists Mentioned:
  • Londrelle
  • Beautiful Chorus
• Gratitude Meditation:
  • 21 Day Gratitude Meditation by Jessica Heslop
    

Next Episode Teaser: In the next empowering conversation with Dr. Nandi Shareef, she sits down with Ellena Balkcom to dive into the power of individual healing, vulnerability, and transformation to help transform both oneself and also the next generation.

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