Screw this pain! I choose better!
None of us are immune to the challenges of life. At some time or another we all endure tough experiences. Nothing ever prepared me for dystonia and chronic, persistent pain, the severity of which was off the charts for years. I didn’t know pain like that was possible. I didn’t respond to it very well and it made my symptoms worse. I cursed the world for what was taken from me and I isolated from everyone and everything. Persistent pain, anxiety, and depression became my only “friends.” I am sure many of you can relate.
I have since worked myself out of all this mental torment and have many tools in my book you can use to help you or a loved one (Diagnosis Dystonia: Navigating the Journey), but it remains a struggle every day. Just on a different level than it once was. My physical and emotional symptoms are far better under control.
When adversity comes, how we respond to it determines what happens next. Life experiences become tragedies if we make the conscious decision to make tragedies out of them, which is what I did. We can either resist or we can accept challenges. I resisted and I got worse. If we choose to view challenges as opportunities for learning and growth, they can be a driving force for positive changes. When I began doing this, my life improved.
With this in mind, consider this… instead of always fighting against whatever we view as wrong, a part of us eventually has to say, “screw it. This is my life and I am going to live it to the best of my ability despite the challenges and do my best to enjoy every moment. If all I do is focus on what is wrong with me, then I will live in a dark and depressing world. I accept that things are tough and it won’t keep me from being happy.” Life is difficult and until we accept this fact, suffering will be our way of life.
It all comes down to the choice we make about how we want to live. If we want to be content, we need to learn to be okay that things may not be the way we want them to be; accept that they are the way they are for the time being and find ways to live with them so you can work through them. Don’t resist what is. It will only make things worse. Breathe, slow down, ‘let go’ the best you can, and stop white knuckling life. When my life feels like it is racing out of control, I close my eyes and repeat the following over and over: “I relax into the flow of life and life flows through me with ease.” Please flow with life the best you can, all the while, still searching for the best possible relief from whatever is causing you any kind of suffering.
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Tom Seaman is a Certified Professional Life Coach in the area of health and wellness, and the author of 2 books: Diagnosis Dystonia: Navigating the Journey (2015) and Beyond Pain and Suffering: Adapting to Adversity and Life Challenges (2021). He is also a motivational speaker, chronic pain and dystonia awareness advocate, health blogger, volunteer for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation (DMRF) as a support group leader, and is a member and writer for Chronic Illness Bloggers Network, The Mighty, Patient Worthy, and The Wellness Universe. To learn more about Tom, get a copy of his books (also on Amazon), or schedule a free life coaching consult, visit www.tomseamancoaching.com. Follow him on Twitter @Dystoniabook1 and Instagram.
“I choose better.” Thanks for these encouraging words. I especially liked: “It all comes down to the choice we make and how we want to live.” “Breath, let go the best you can and stop white knuckling life.” NUGGETS!
Thank you Sandie! So glad you liked it! For so many years I tried so hard to control everything and it just made life miserable.