★ - I know that lately you’ve been carrying this feeling of “nothing excites me anymore, and hope is nearly impossible to see.” But don’t be afraid — you’re not alone. Many people far more successful than you feel exactly the same way right now. In fact, their burdens are incomparably heavier than yours, because they also face mountains of debt and endless disputes. Haven’t you noticed? Many of the wealthy figures who once strutted so boldly have gone quiet and invisible. As the saying goes: the tallest tree catches the most wind. What they fear most is trouble coming from every direction.
★ - So, if right now you have no overwhelming debt, and while life isn’t lavish, you can still maintain a decent standard of living — if you can take the family out for a simple meal now and then, or even enjoy a nearby road trip to take in the beauty of the land — then you are absolutely among the most fortunate people around. Because if you were truly willing to look closely at other people’s real situations, you’d find that when the tide goes out, every household has its own difficult story.
★ - Of course, I — Master Chi — know you have your own anxieties and troubles too. Don’t worry. Don’t be afraid. As someone who has weathered countless storms and come out the other side, I simply want to tell you: even the most overwhelming problem, as long as it didn’t crush you the moment it struck, means that Heaven has not chosen to drive you to the edge. Grit your teeth, hold on, slowly rebuild your strength and cultivate your inner resilience — there will always be a way out.
★ - Here’s something almost mystical: most of the problems you slowly work through will ultimately become experience that strengthens your inner foundation, leading to tremendous growth. Humans, in a strange way, are creatures that need pressure. Long periods of comfort and ease, sheltered from hardship, actually make a person weaker. But the more you battle through life’s campaigns, the more you extract from them — wisdom in dealing with fate, and hard-won lessons in how to fight.
★ - From my own experience, the so-called “darkest hour” is the most cowardly thing in the world. It fears your determination. It fears your refusal to give up. And it especially fears that after beating you black and blue, you will still clench your jaw and stare it down. At that point, it will tuck its tail between its legs and slink away on its own.
★ - I know that when you sink into your darkest moment, the first things to go are your confidence and your will. You feel worthless, like you’re nothing at all. Don’t be afraid. At a time like this, give yourself a few days of real rest — then start with the most basic thing: exercise. Ideally, slow jogging combined with fitness training. Aim for three to four kilometers of slow jogging daily, plus fifty or sixty push-ups and some pull-ups. Start slowly. Gradually increase the intensity, and eventually find an affordable gym and start lifting weights. Before long, you’ll notice that despondent state beginning to lift, and your energy and spirit will steadily improve. That’s when your fortune begins to turn.
★ - Another powerful way out of the darkest hour is to focus on making money. Stop drowning in grand narratives. Learn how to earn more — legally and honestly — even if it means working harder and getting tired. My client base is generally quite wealthy, but many are also ordinary people with limited income. For women, I recommend starting small — sell products within your circle of friends, and try to facilitate small business deals wherever you can. For men, I encourage offering your professional skills to those who need them, and if necessary, taking on skilled hands-on work on weekends.
★ - No one is born a merchant. Everyone gradually discovers their own gaps and weaknesses through the process itself. Women will, through selling, slowly develop skills in marketing, personal branding, supply chains, and product selection. Men will, through their hustle, gradually master fair negotiation, coordination, long-term partnership building, and professional growth. It all happens step by step — lessons hammered out through one head-against-the-wall experience at a time.
★ - Of course, I’m not suggesting you quit your job. Honestly, in today’s environment, having stable employment is already a great blessing. If your job offers reasonable pay, manageable stress, and decent relationships with colleagues, you should consider yourself quietly lucky. Take a moment to observe your boss sometime — chances are, their brow is furrowed far more often than yours, and the pressure they carry is far heavier.
★ - Since ancient times, skills are never a burden. Especially in the darkest hour, every additional skill is another path to income, and as more wealth flows in, you’ll find your prospects growing brighter. Wealth brings its own complications, but at least the quality of life improves substantially. Read more, too — this is critically important. Many people, when they’re feeling low, keep numbing themselves with cheap entertainment, and the result is that their abilities and willpower erode further, making everything worse. Remember: the only things that can truly pull you out of the valley are broad knowledge, a healthy body, a positive mindset, and a regular routine.
★ - In the darkest hour, above all, do not escape or give up — and never fall into the extreme of thinking that ending it all is the answer. I know you may feel you’ve had enough of this life, that you can’t endure even another day. But trust me, Uncle Master Chi — no matter how bitter, no matter how exhausted, you will come through it. And here’s the most crucial point: do not pour your suffering out to people who don’t deserve it, even if they’re family. One thing I feel deeply is that many people reach the extreme because no one around them is willing to offer genuine encouragement and care. Even family, upon learning of your difficulties, may greet you with cold mockery and sarcasm, dressing it up as “giving you feedback.” Honestly — it’s not worth it, and you don’t need it. Rather than letting them disturb your peace, keep that time for yourself. Lie low, grow slowly, and eventually turn things around.