Dark Hour

When the clock strikes 8pm, I find myself saying to no one in particular, “I quit!”  And all good intentions fly out the window. The nights can become my dark hour. 

Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to quit? A bajillion times. 

My days begin early, therefore after 8pm, I am tired. I am less tolerant of EVERYTHING and sometimes I feel discouraged, anxious or frustrated. I find I have less patience and, unfortunately for my hubby, I can be extra sensitive. On those occasional evenings, I have either zipped my lips or put myself to bed to sleep off my moodiness and let the dark hour pass by.  

But I have work to do.  I work full-time at a school, and afterwards, I have personal projects that I tackle in the evenings and weekends. So on those nights I feel blah, I ask myself, “Why am I wasting my time on these projects?”  I am nowhere near finished. I feel defeated. I feel disappointed in myself. And therefore, I want to quit.

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Something happens on those rare evenings, almost like I transform into the Wicked Witch of the East. My positive spirit dissipates into thin air. And you can almost hear me cackling as I slowly enter the dark hour. Mwa haa haaa. 

The Learning Curve

Working on new projects can be exciting, but the learning curve can be frustrating and the rewards can be slow.  Perseverance is the key to reaching the finish line. And I’m sure you know the saying, “Good things come to those who wait.”  But sometimes I feel like I’m waiting and waiting and waiting as I work harder and harder. How much longer do I have to wait?

Have you ever felt that way?

At that point, it can be very tempting to throw in the towel and give up! And, yes, at times I would like to run my arms across my desk, flinging all the papers, notebooks, and my computer onto the floor with a resounding crash. Ahhh the drama. But if I did give in to that urge, I know a temporary look of satisfaction would cross my face.

The Dark Hour Looms

I also know when the dark hour looms, I absolutely DO NOT make any decisions. I will not sign anything, I will not delete anything, I will not tear apart anything, I will NOT fling my papers across the floor and I will certainly not quit anything!  

One day when I was working on my project during the dark hour, I was absolutely frustrated and only getting more so as I forced myself to focus. I decided enough is enough and walked away from it. It was time to make a change.

I realized from then on, when I am in that frame of mind, I will not work on my projects. Because, that’s when doubt creeps in and all my insecurities take over.

Instead, I have decided when that mood sets in, I only do activities that make me happy and relaxed.  For instance, I’ll dance to my heart’s content (I love to dance!), play my guitar, listen to my favorite tunes, solve a jigsaw puzzle, enjoy a night out with family or friends, etc. 

With this switch, I don’t feel frustrated as often.  My dark hour has become my fun hour.    

The Golden Hour

Now, let’s switch gears and talk about the golden hour. On the weekdays, my mornings begin at 5:30am. 

When I wake up, I stay in bed for a few minutes to focus on my gratitudes and the blessings in my life.  I make a pact with myself to show up fully in everything I do that day with a positive attitude and to be my best self.  

Then, I rotate my achy feet and stretch my body.  

When I arise, I am in an optimistic frame of mind, highly motivated and inspired. 

I workout, eat a nutritious breakfast then get ready for work.  

I travel on foot or by bike to my workplace. This is my golden hour. Many of my best ideas were sparked during that commute. 

I also feel good! Like I can do anything and crush anything I put my mind to. I am confident. I am bold. I am invincible. Such a difference in comparison with my dark hour.  

Yes, I am a morning person, so I crank out as much work as I can during that time.  I am sure my employer is appreciative of that!

Do you have a time of day that you feel at your best? Are you a morning person? Or are you a night owl? Is there a particular time of day you feel most creative or motivated? And is that the time you focus your attention on your projects?

When is Your Dark Hour

Do you have a dark hour?  I believe we all do.  Figure out what time of day you feel at your best and power through your projects at that time.

And when the dark hour strikes, your projects can wait until the golden hour arrives again. Make a pact instead to do something fun. 

Wanna join me? If so, I’ll be having fun on the dance floor bustin’ a move.  Come along! 

Cheers!

Kathleen

I would love to hear from you. Scroll below and leave a comment or thoughts on what you do to overcome your dark hour below! And click here to subscribe. I’ll keep you posted when new articles are published.