We have all been there, and if you haven’t yet, you will eventually. It’s important to recognize that hitting rock bottom can look different for different people. For some, it may be a moment of crisis, such as losing a job, going through a divorce, or experiencing a major health issue. For others, it may be a more gradual process, where they find themselves feeling increasingly stuck or unfulfilled in their lives (this was me). Maybe your rock bottom was struggling with addiction or mental health issues, the list goes on. Regardless of what form it takes, hitting rock bottom can be the “end-all” to your growth in life, or it can be an opportunity for growth and transformation. By beginning to acknowledge the challenges I was up against and seeking help when we need it, I was able to learn from my experiences and poor decisions. I emerged stronger, wealthier, more resilient, in a stable loving relationship, and more compassionate towards individuals. My rock bottom led me to the biggest glow-up of my life. A true transformation, and if I can do anything for you today, it’s to get you to realize that you are not alone. Every successful person I know has been through some shit. In fact, I believe that you will never reach your full potential until you have hit rock bottom. Here is my story.
I landed myself at rock bottom when I was 24 years old. Exiting a toxic long-distance relationship that left me emotionally unstable, coming to the realization that this was just never going to work no matter how hard I tried. I had put all of my eggs into one basket, sacrificing my employment, income, and savings just to facilitate this relationship. To add to the trauma, I also reevaluated and realized that if I continued on my current path, I would be broke for the rest of my life. Now for some, income may not matter, but to me, it was important. Where the hell do I go from here? I can’t possibly continue on like this. I am miserable.
When we hit rock bottom, we are forced to confront the reality of our situation. We are no longer able to hide from our problems or avoid the consequences of our actions. This can be a painful process, but it also allows us to take a hard look at ourselves and our lives. We may realize that we have been living in a way that is not sustainable, or that we have been prioritizing the wrong things. We may recognize that we need to make changes in order to move forward. At the same time, hitting rock bottom can also be a humbling experience. We may be forced to ask for help or to admit that we have made mistakes. This can be a difficult thing to do, but it can also be liberating. When we let go of our pride and ego, we open ourselves up to new possibilities and opportunities.
Confronting my reality: It took months after ending the relationship to process this rubble in front of me that I now called “my life”. Grabbing pieces of it, trying to glue it back together. How did this happen? Look how pathetic I look. All of these thoughts that ran through my head were crippling. I just spent the last 2 years of my life invested in this shitty relationship. Putting all my time and energy into it and completely letting my career and life outside of the relationship deteriorate. Wow, come to think of it, I guess I never really thought about money until this moment and at the current moment in 2013, that was BROKE. My tax return showed a gross income of $19,600. Not how I planned for my life to look at 24 years old.
So what did I decide to do? Throw every last piece of that rubble in the garbage and leave it all behind. I needed to resent my life and my mindset, and one morning I woke up with the strength to do so. You may wonder what triggered this in me; all I can say is when you become so disgusted with your current situation that you just can’t take it anymore, that switch will flip. Until then, you will remain the same. Tune in next Monday for my comeback story. The rise from the fall where I gathered myself and, in 10 years, became an entrepreneur, met the love of my life, got married, had 2 beautiful babies, and now have the strength and experience to help empower other men and women to fight back from the bottom.
