Upside Down
Sometimes life feels a little upside down.
Things get difficult. It feels painful. Friendships get rocky. Being a mom is tedious and challenging and honestly, it can be agonizing. But then again, all family relationships can be difficult to maneuver. Or perhaps, something happened at work. You have an unfair boss. You are in a job you hate. Maybe it’s your health… An old injury flares up in an excruciating way. You get diagnosed with a life-altering condition. Sometimes life just isn’t fair. People go through hard times. They don’t always get what they deserve. Good people may die. People will disappoint. And sometimes, bad stuff just happens.
We’ve all been there. We’ve had the days where we just want to quit, to run away. We all find ourselves wishing that things could be easier, that life could be simple.
It is in the moments like these that we get to make a decision. We can give up or get up.
We get to choose if we want to wallow in the unfairness of life and choose to pay attention to the pain, or we can take a moment to breathe, to cry, to love ourselves, find some peace, and move on.
Give up or get up.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The greatest measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
No one likes pain. Physical, mental or emotional, pain is not fun for anyone.
But honestly, it can be a gift if we truly allow ourselves to feel it, to embrace it… and most importantly, to learn from it.
I remember when I started going to CrossFit several years ago. It was BRUTAL! I probably pushed myself harder than I should have, but I wanted to prove myself. I threw up the first three classes, but I kept going. My muscles were stiff and sore and I didn’t want to get out of bed in the mornings.
But eventually, I started to see the results. My arms got stronger. My legs got faster. My abs got smaller. And most importantly, my heart started to work more efficiently.
At one point I was talking to Coach Shelby and she told me that if I listened to my body, I would probably speed up the process of hitting my goals. So, I learned how to do that. I learned that pain is a form of communication. It isn’t bad. It isn’t wrong. It is a natural part of life and a great way to learn and become better.
That is probably why ignoring it only creates further harm. If we ignore symptoms, we could potentially get sicker. If we ignore our emotions, we will end up bursting in some way. If we ignore the pain in our lives, we will see guaranteed consequences.
But, when we stop masking the pain and allow ourselves to feel, that is where we start to find our strength. Pain is the gateway to something better if we listen to it.
Not only does pain remind us we are still alive, it also gives us an opportunity to change, to overcome, and to conquer.
So, next time you are experiencing pain, ask it to strengthen you. Allow it to motivate you.
You overcome pain only when you embrace the knowledge and strength it brings with it. Pain warns us when we need to rest, or when we need help. Pain reveals where we need to care for ourselves more. Pain opens us up to allow others in, those that can guide us, be it doctors or coaches or friends.
Pain gives us a means to succeed. If we listen to it and determine to overcome it, we will fill that place with love. Love for ourselves and for others. And in this place of love, we realize that it was actually pain that made a path for our strength. And when we honor the pain, realizing that the trials we endure are actually a source of strength, we can dance in the deepest valleys and embrace our greatest pain as a friend because what we do and who we become is determined by the darkest moments of our lives.
Much love,
Shannon Joy