Episode #76 See Pain Differently

Three Problems

• Ignoring our pain is comparable to ignoring our ‘check engine’ light; it leads us eventually to break down.
• We often avoid the pain of relational conflict even though conflict cultivates closer connection.
• We often fear that sharing our pain will create pity when in reality it could create community.

Three Principles

• Leaning into pain as it emerges often creates more pain in the short-term but less pain in the long-term.
• Pain has a protective purpose – to warn us that something is wrong and to help us move forward.
• We would never grow if our lives were free of pain because we would have no reason to change anything.

Three Practices

• Regarding the physical pain in your life, consider, “What might this pain be warning me about?”
• Honestly evaluate whether any of the pain in your life is a consequence of unhealthy choices, and commit to alleviating the root cause of that pain rather than covering it up.
• Write a list of painful past experiences that you now consider a gift.