“Everyone carries around his own monsters.” – Richard Pryor
We all have issues, and anyone that claims they have never experienced trauma is in denial of reality. This is the nature of life: it is often dark, and brutal, and the only way out is death.
So how do we deal with it, the inevitability and insanity and awfulness along the way?
Some people let their demons control them and climb into a bottle of booze or pills. Others become addicted to their phone, or dopamine hits from people that hurt them in an attempt to push those monsters of emptiness and nihilism away for a few moments of hedonistic pleasure.
Others run with their demons, harnessing their power to run ultramarathons or businesses. The monsters are still there, but instead of rampantly uncontrollable and destructive they are controlled like a fire. Still dangerous if unattended to, but if properly contained and used able to warm and brighten.
Do you control your monsters, or do they rule you?