Growing Through Pain

Text by Monika Vaswani

 

What doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger!

There is suffering in life. “Loss” can mean different things to different people at different stages of their lives. A young person may suffer a romantic breakup, while an elderly person may be devastated by the untimely death of their child. While there is not a single person who can claim to have a life without misery, some stand out.

How?

With its ability to transform pain.

While hardship is imperative, healing is optional.

Many problems occur when we stop listening to ourselves.

Anger problems, for example, can be due to a profound low self-esteem or a feeling of loss.

Not all of us suffer in the same way; some take on a strong expression as they struggle with inner sadness. Some may develop phobias after dealing with a major setback. In a world where awareness about mental health is still growing, most people remain uncertain about their inner self.

Ask yourself, talk to yourself, embrace your own self before asking others to do so. Even to ask for help, you must first be aware of the fact that you need help. More than ever, social media shows people portraying an image of their perfect lives, while they are struggling internally. Please,
understand that it is okay not to be okay.

Social norms have created an expectation that we automatically respond, “I’m fine,” even when we are not. This often creates a pattern of self-delusion, and we begin to lie to ourselves. We need to understand that it is absolutely normal to feel sad. What really matters is awareness – we need to be aware of our feelings and emotions.

Once we are aware of our feelings, the next step is to regulate them. One way to do this is to express ourselves.

Different people express themselves differently – while some may do so in creative activities, others may be content to vent to a friend.

Whatever method we choose to express, it is important not to bury our feelings deeply. This can cause problems if it is not regulated.

We cannot realistically expect that someone will always be there to provide a shoulder to cry on, nor can we escape or hide all the time. We need to manage our emotions before they get the best of us.

Sometimes it can make us too dependent on some form of external support – like food addiction, shopping addiction, social media. These are forms of escapism.

There is a saying: the mind can be your best friend and your worst enemy. Fortunately, this can be controlled with enough willpower and determination. Easier said than done, but we have to move on sooner or later. It is a matter of changing focus and attention. Although it is not easy to do it immediately, it is about getting into a disciplined state of mind.

Meditation is an excellent way to start. It is nourishing to the soul. It helps to bring perspective to the bright side of life and appreciate the little things.

Breathing practices alone bring a breath of fresh air and oxygen. It helps improve our brain chemistry and has a cleansing effect.

Previously, there used to be a misconception that meditation is only for the highly spiritual. With the events of the last few months, an increasing number of professionals in all fields have begun to meditate.

Meditation has played an important role in improving your emotional and mental well-being.

Master Choa Kok Sui said, “Can you fix yourself without a mirror?

Someone who doesn’t like you is like a “mirror”. He can help you grow spiritually.”

Value yourself and don’t give up. Even if you are making an effort to read this article, you have taken a step forward on the road to recovery and healing. Don’t neglect these small efforts that you and others make for you. Value the people who really care about your well-being, your smile, and life in general.

Translation by pranaworld.net