Spiraling into Control

By Michael Lux

In his former years, Michael spent his life living in the shadows. But despite struggling with mental illness, addiction, bullying, and dysfunctional-family struggles, he journeys through. He comes to a dead end only to draw the curtains back to reveal the sunshine that will guide him through his adventure toward self-discovery. He travels through a spiritual journey to a life of happiness. Along the way, modalities are found, practices are learned, and he takes back the control to his once-failing life. Take the step back into control with him as he exposes you to various tools that he hopes will help you too.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Jun 23, 2019
• ISBN: 9781982229634

Michael Lux

Michael Lux is a determined person in pursuit to make a difference. He has gone through many life experiences, leading him to where he is now. He has no intentions of stopping though, on the move, always on an adventure. He shares his passion for adventure and self-discovery with those around him. He graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.

Book preview

Copyright © 2019 Michael Lux.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Balboa Press

A Division of Hay House

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.balboapress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-2962-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-2963-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019907886

Balboa Press rev. date: 06/14/2019

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

This book is dedicated to my loving wife, for picking me up every time I wanted to quit.

1

W hen I was a kid, I had a superpower. A real-life comic-book-style superpower. There was just one problem: I was not sure whether it was a good or bad power. After all, it comes with a responsibility. How was I to use mine? Was I destined to be a villain, or was I the good guy who just needed to learn to control my superpower? I craved the path of the good guy, but something inside nagged at me, pulling me toward villainy. Deep down I knew that was not the right choice, but only after a long, hard journey would I find the answer to my question.

My superpower, I learned, was more of a tool. It was not the power that would determine whether I became a villain or a superhero. It was the war that waged deep inside me that would create my journey, and the power would ultimately present itself in the manner of how I chose my side to fight on. I certainly did not like the idea of having a bad superpower or being a bad person. There was something inside me, almost alien to my body: a villain of my own, uncontrolled, wreaking havoc within me. It had rooted itself inside me, always out of reach, to the point that it felt as though it was almost part of my very soul. How do you get rid of something as intangible as that? For a long time, I allowed this villain to consume me.

Imagine having the ability to create your future within moments of your thoughts. On the other hand, maybe I was seeing the future moments before it happened. Sounds like an exciting ability to have, but there is a catch. Everything you create or see is always something negative. I was twelve when I finally recognized the pattern. How does a twelve-year-old handle such inhuman abilities with no guidance, no help, and a lack of understanding? I was faced with the problem of good and evil: was I creating such horrible experiences, or was I given the gift to prevent them from occurring? To tip the scale toward the dark side, I have always felt this unshakeable spot inside me. It drags me down to dark places, strengthening my belief that I was to be a bad guy. I had no idea what to do with it all, but once I recognized the pattern, it changed my life.

Growing up, I continued to have little hope that I would ever emerge in the light and walk with the good guys. For many years, I would slum in the darkness that choked me inside. Eventually I would believe that I was creating horrible events and fuel the growth of this saddening place inside of me. This dark spot, my villain, was a representation of my depression. Many people have felt its tendrils ripple into their moods, leeching the happiness from them. The severity will vary for everyone, but ridding yourself of such a thing is not an easy task. Through my journey, along with my superpower, I have managed to remove this villain from within. We all embark on our own quest to reach the light, with or without a superpower to get us there. The important thing to remember as you journey down your own path is that we all start from scratch. It is our choices that determine where we go. Even in our deepest, darkest moments of life, we still have choices. That dark spot may sway our decisions, but another choice is still available.

I have learned to never journey unarmed in the battle of decision-making. Equipping yourself with a sword will always help you slay the choices you are faced with, but remember that it has two sides. The sword will carve your path, but it is up to your own free will to decide which side you want to use. The dull side will keep you comfortably miserable. Using the sharpened side is not easy—in fact, it will be painful and uncomfortable—but will show you success. Knowing the difference between the two will help you grow. I hope to show you the difference between the two sides as I reveal the path I chose.

Ultimately, it is up to the person how long they choose to stay in the darkness based on which choice is made. I believe, no matter the circumstance, we have a choice and directions to get out. It is not always clear that we have choices, but if we look hard enough, they are there. Some of us take longer than others to change, but that is not important. What’s important is that we make it out of this dismal state.

Making the right choice is certainly not an easy task, especially when you are being attacked from within your fortress. It can appear seemingly impossible. Creating a belief that there is another way could be just the fuel you need to get started. Once you do make the choice to leave the negative environment behind, you will find the direction you need to seek out the light in life. Changing your course will lead you on your own adventure to bettering your life. Sometimes asking for a little guidance from someone can fill your sails. I sat in a dark and dismal place for most of my life, but it was not until I found the light within myself that I escaped that state of being. The steps and practices that I pursued may not be right for you, but they certainly could be your catalyst to finding your own schematic of success. Not knowing is the biggest detriment to progress; being aware allows you to make choices.

I share with you my personal struggles that led me to where I am today. I want to shorten the path to your success with this book. It took me a lot of time to stumble on these various techniques that have saved my life. They have strengthened me as a person and provided me with a solid foundation. I will touch on the various topics