For most of us, there’s been a time when we’ve hit bottom.
And for many of us, there have been many.
But just because you find yourself at a bottom doesn’t mean you have to stay there.
In fact, sometimes hitting bottom can be the very thing that propels you upward—it can be a turning point, a wake-up call, a catalyst for change.
What matters most is that you recognize it as a bottom.
And then decide you’re not going to live there.
You Don’t Have to Ride It All the Way to the Dump
Looking back, I had many bottoms before I hit the one that finally brought me to my knees.
There were so many moments I should have asked for help…
So many warning signs I ignored…
So many nights I let myself spiral deeper into darkness.
But the truth is: we’re ready when we’re ready.
And if we’re lucky, we get that one moment—the one where something shifts, where the fear becomes too loud to ignore, and we finally ask for help.
For me, that moment came from fear.
Fear of where my mental illness had taken me.
Fear of where it might take me next.
I don’t know why that particular night was different.
There were many terrifying nights before it.
But that night, I got scared enough to pick up the phone.
And in doing so, I opened the door to my own recovery.
The Power of Saying “Enough”
There’s a saying I love:
“You don’t have to ride the truck all the way to the dump.”
You can get off at any time.
Even in the darkest place, even at your lowest, you have a choice.
You always have the option to get off the path that’s dragging you down.
But you have to believe that it’s possible.
And you have to take action.
When I was deep in my illness, I felt powerless.
Like I was strapped to a runaway train.
But that wasn’t true.
I always had a ticket off that train.
And the moment I picked up the phone and asked for help, I used it.
That one action—speaking my truth—shifted everything.
I didn’t have all the answers yet.
I still had work to do.
But the secret I had been carrying was out.
The weight I had been holding got lighter.
And for the first time, I realized I was in control of my recovery.
Recognizing the Bottom for What It Is
It’s so important to notice your bottoms.
To recognize when you’ve fallen harder than usual.
To acknowledge when you’re staying down longer than you want to.
Because that moment of awareness?
That’s the moment you can begin to rise.
We all fall.
We all struggle.
But no one has to stay in the pit.
Freedom starts with acceptance.
The willingness to see where you are—and the courage to choose something better.
A bottom doesn’t have to be the end of your story.
It can be the beginning of your comeback.
From Rock Bottom to Rise
A bottom might just be the biggest blessing in disguise.
It might be the one thing that finally gets your attention.
The one thing that cracks you open.
The one thing that forces you to stop, reflect, and change direction.
You don’t have to stay down.
You don’t have to prove anything to anyone by suffering longer.
Your story is still being written.
And a bottom can be the moment you choose a new chapter.
Use it to rise. Use it to SLAY.
SLAY Reflection: What Is Your Bottom Telling You?
Has a past bottom ever helped you grow or pivot in a new direction?
How can you use that lesson now?
Have you ever hit a bottom in your life?
What were the signs? What did it feel like?
Have you hit multiple bottoms?
What made the most recent one different?
Are you currently in a bottom?
If so, what are you doing about it—or avoiding?
What’s holding you back from asking for help or making a change?
What could shift if you took just one small step?
Call to Action: Join the Conversation
I’d love to hear from you.
What helped you recognize a bottom in your life—and what did you do to rise from it?
Share your story in the comments. Let’s cheer each other on.
And if you know someone who’s struggling to climb out of a hard place, send this to them.
Sometimes, all we need is a nudge.
