Learning from the Pain
We've all been wounded, but, paradoxically, wounding is probably our greatest stimulus for health. As we heal, we grow. -- David Knighton, M.D.
No one wants to get hurt. Very few sane people actually crave and seek after pain.
But in this life, bumps, bruises, cuts, sprains and strains are unavoidable. When pain does kick in, for whatever reason, our first inclination is to kill it as soon as possible. We don't care how. We just want the pain to stop. Right now!
However, before reaching for the drugs, it can be wise and prudent to just take a moment and see if there is any thing we can learn from the pain-- if there is a lesson the pain needs to teach us. For instance, we may ask ourselves:
- Do I have a complete understanding as to why and how the pain started?
- Having considered the cause of the pain-- is then there, perhaps, a cause of that cause?
- If the cause of my pain has been properly identified, am I taking steps to correct it?
- What can I do to maximize my innate healing potential?
- What steps can I take now and in the future to prevent the pain from returning?
If we expand our perspectives about our pain, we may emerge from the affliction actually stronger, wiser, and healthier.
If, that is, we are willing to be taught and apply the lessons of the pain experience.
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