If you play a sport, you know it takes a lot of discipline to practice for such long hours. You end up creating a high threshold for pain to endure all of the training. But after a certain point, pushing through the pain no longer helps you and it’s time to stop to access the problem.
Once you stop to access it, pain can be a great teacher. Here are five ways that you can change your perception towards pain to let it be the teacher you need.
1) Pain brings us to the present moment
There is nothing like a throbbing joint or ailment that can bring us to the present moment. We can be going through our day, then bam – our back goes out or a migraine kicks in. All of a sudden nothing else matters, except for that moment. It slows us down. If we don’t listen to our bodies then the symptoms will progress and it will force us to slow down and be present. Truly living in the present moment and slowing down before the pain happens can possibly prevent health ailments before they start.
2) Pain humbles us and puts our ego in check.
So many of us go around as if we are bulletproof or superheroes but pain immediately has the ability to humble us. Pain makes us human. It creates a modest behavior that, in turn, makes us very admirable and gives us the opportunity to build good character. I always say my auto- immune disease is part of my charm.
3) Pain creates compassion.
There are so many people living with debilitating or life-threatening diseases that have pain on a constant basis. When we are in pain ourselves, in comparison, it really puts things into perspective and teaches us to have compassion for those that live in pain daily or are less fortunate.
4) Pain creates gratitude.
Appreciating the days when we are healthy and happy could be lost if not for the sick days every once in awhile. We could take for granted our abilities, but when we have pain, we are reminded to have gratitude. Being grateful for everything, even the pain.
5) Pain makes us more health-conscious.
Some of the healthiest people in the world are those living with autoimmune diseases. That is because the repercussions of eating poorly or taking poor care of themselves is instantly felt. They know that having a healthy lifestyle directly affects how they feel. So pain is a reminder to be conscious of the food we put into our bodies to create less disease.
What we resist will persist. Embracing our pain and listening to our bodies’ signals can prevent future health problems. Having gratitude, compassion, and kindness for ourselves and every living being creates ease and abundant health. Let pain be your teacher, a blessing not a curse.
If we are wise enough to listen to our bodies when pain erupts then it will not be painful, it will become painless.- Jesse Golden
