Grab the band aids
That really hurts
Think back to the last time your life ran smoothly. This is your opinion of course. If you glance around on the subway or the local coffee shop, half of the people there are in some kind of crisis. And there are probably more that you didn’t make eye contact with because you are sure they are really hurting. Strangers only get help when a big emergency happens. Lack of coffee feels like an emergency but is more acceptable because there are ways to help yourself resolve that feeling quickly. But real life has little dilemmas of all sizes in between those more easily negotiated moments. Strictly speaking, the discomfort you actually notice should be checked. Humans often look away from those little boo-boos if there is no bleeding involved. Sometimes ignoring a cut helps it to heal itself like magic. When pain is not resolved when it has shown up more times than expected, it triggers a little thought about fixing it. Continuing to not pay attention often becomes the foundation for more hurt and may eventually start that nagging thought to do something. At its best, discomfort creates the need to change in some way. Once the pain increases to a certain point or the realization starts to get questioned by other humans, it is just a little past that time it should have claimed your notice. Better late than never is often an acceptable plan. But while you were dawdling about reminders that were past due, your brain was focusing on producing gentle methods to repair the issue. In the background, humans really do a lot of mind work. Even when you thought you were dismissing a concern, it was waiting for you with options. The bottom line is how well humans work. Discomfort drives a need for change. Change is not bad. Humans have the abilities to smooth out their own lives. Pretend no one else is paying attention. Because they aren’t.
Take Five
Each week this year, read through the suggestions and see how they call out to you.
- How long do you wait to face issues?
- Can you list your greatest skills to resolve pain?
- Do you think that it is brave to suffer?
- Where do you feel discomfort right now?
- Does anyone really pay attention to you?
Come back each day to see if something changes about the effect of an activity. Repeat choices to identify different thoughts. You are not the same person every day. Your life shouldn’t be either.
Live Alive
