We all know that life has its ups and downs, peaks and valleys, or as I like to refer to them, peaks and pre-peaks, but when you’re in that deep, dark valley it can be challenging to recognize and celebrate the fact that you’ll be heading up to one of those beautiful peaks soon enough.

The time scale between the peak and pre-peak cycle is not as consistent as the phases of the moon or the seasons of the Earth, and when you’re heading into that valley it can be difficult to ascertain how dark it’s going to get and how long your stay will be.

One way that I deal with life in those dark places is…