Life is never smooth and pain-free. It’s a harsh truth that you will have to learn the hard way. However, it is essential that you accept that pain is a part of life. While it doesn’t mean you should welcome pain readily, it gives you the knowledge that suffering is never meaningless. Indeed, difficult experiences, whether they hurt you at an emotional or physical level – or both – serves a purpose. They are lessons you can learn as you grow. Indeed, as the saying goes, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. Pain falls in the category of the things that play a significant role in your personal development. In other words, when life shows you the cold shoulder, draw your strength from the lessons it teaches you.
It teaches you that you’re alive
Yes, it hurts. The body and the mind are vulnerable to pain, and, as such, you can’t go through life without experiencing it. But it’s a good thing. It teaches you about the fragility of life and its limitations. Pain remains you that you are alive, and when you hurt, you understand how precious life and the people you love are to you. Is there any greater feeling than being alive? Hurting is a necessary reminder of the life we too easily take for granted. It reminds you to make every day count and everybody matter.
It teaches you to trust others
There are pains you can face alone. But there are others that are so overwhelming that you don’t know how to manage by yourself. From a dedicated therapist who can guide you to the path of happiness after a traumatic event to courteous and competent personal injury attorneys who fight for your rights in a compensation case, pain teaches you to open up to others. People are social creatures who rely on each other for safety. Even though modern society pushes us apart, we are stronger together than alone.
It teaches you about the dangers of your activity
What if you were the person to blame for your pain? Every year, thousands of enthusiastic gym-goers injure themselves in their pursuit of an active lifestyle. Sports injuries are, indeed, frequent. But while they can force you to put your activity levels on pause until you recover, they are also a useful guide to understand the body. Indeed, form poor training practices to lack of stretching, we tend to create our injuries at the gym. But discovering how far you can push your body makes you aware of the invisible risks of your hobby. You get to know yourself better, and you know when to stop before it hurts.
It teaches you to get back up
Pain is a setback that creates a standstill. Some might even call it a failure. But failure or not, pain teaches you to stand back up and carry on. The recovery path might be long and hard, but as you rebuild yourself, you learn not to give in to adversity. Pain makes you perseverant.
There is no life without pain. Whether you are involved in an accident or you are breaking up, life has a way of creating uncomfortable situations. But with each pain you experience, you grow stronger and wiser. Pain is only the eneùmy if you can’t learn from it.
Mandy X
Photo by Sarah Cervantes on Unsplash
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
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