Feel your pain

A life without pain is called this:

Death

Feel your pain. Don't run from it. We are taught that pain is bad. It is not. It is a sensation. Sometimes pain is very useful. It tells us that something is wrong. If we do everything we can to get rid of the pain without addressing the reasons why we are feeling it, it's a losing battle.


Maybe you have an injury, an illness, or maybe you're just getting old and wearing down. Pain is telling you that perhaps you need to

Slow Down
Meditate
Relax
Breath deeply
Sing
Stretch
Scream
Talk about it
Cry
Dance
Make art
Make music
Be loved
Love others
Feel anger

Go ahead and add to the list. You probably know what you need. Please re-consider if "get wasted," "find the right prescription drug," or "end my life" is on your list.

Maybe you're demoralized because you can't do things you once did. Feeling grief or sadness because of loss is natural.

Maybe you're scared, upset, or demoralized because you can't make a decent living or any living at all because of your pain. This is certainly upsetting, but the depression part of it is caused by the lie that a life is measured by one's economic usefulness. Living in poverty is neither fun nor easy, but living in a stupor created by self-medicating is not helpful.

Life without pain is a fairy tale. The drug companies, drug dealers, and alcohol manufacturers would love it if you just can't stand it.

I am in a lot of physical pain right now. I woke up, ate a healthy breakfast, did some yoga, spent some time reading, did some drawing, and am now writing. I am not contributing to the economy. Should I be ashamed? Some people would say so. I disrespectfully disagree.