Make Any Situation Better

26 Jun Make Any Situation Better

We’re all going to experience pain from time to time, whether that be physical, emotional, or mental. Yep, that sucks. But it’s the truth. Thankfully, though, there’s another bit of truth we can cling to for comfort through it all.

We don’t have to suffer.

Our experience of pain is a reaction. Suffering, on the other hand, is a response. It’s how we respond to pain. And when we force ourselves to relive it, focusing on it ad nauseum, that’s when we allow our pain to transform into suffering. Yeah, don’t do it. Avoid it at all cost.

So, how can we proactively prepare to deal with pain when it arises in order to successfully avoid preventable suffering?

It’s relatively easy: know yourself.

Know what brings you comfort. Then, lean into that while experiencing pain.

Know what you enjoy, what brings you happiness. Then, prioritize that in the midst of pain.

Know what your strengths and weaknesses are. Then, play to those when you can and get help with the rest.

There’s another little nugget of truth that can help us tremendously, too: We feel what we focus on.

When we focus on pain, giving it 100 percent of our attention, we will feel it much more intensely. But if we’re able to focus elsewhere letting something else take the spotlight, then it helps our thoughts stay on much more pleasant things. Doing this helps dilute the intensity of the pain and provides insurance against suffering.