The 5 AM wake-up is not something I created and it’s not some revolutionary idea - just get up earlier so that you have more time and focus to do the things you want or need to get done.

Simple.

But putting it into practice is where things become difficult.

I realized that I was living in a state of mental purgatory. No matter how long I kept those mountains on that wall, my son was never going to come home to us. I was holding onto something that was holding me back, and it was starting to become a bit unhealthy. What was once seemingly a comfort had turned into a magnifier for my depression.

So again, what do you do when you can’t control what’s happening to you?

I wasn’t what you would classify as a raging alcoholic, but I sure could throw a few back once I got started.

And once I got started, that was typically where my day ended. Productivity out the window along with my capacity to care for the feelings of others.

I felt myself losing control.

I’m glad that I’ve been forcing light onto the darkness because I can explore things with a more complete perspective, rather than just wallowing in the negativity. Also, if you open your mind you’re able to capture moments that you might have missed otherwise. I would bet that those searching for silver linings often come across more than their counterparts.