Pain is an inevitable part of life, suffering however, is optional. There is great empowerment in this choice that lies ahead of us, the choice of whether we revel in the process of pain or whether we recoil in suffering.
How would your life, your workouts, and your perspective change if you just accepted that pain is normal and that’s it’s okay to be uncomfortable sometimes? What would happen if you defined pain as “unicorn tears,” that is, suffering with a sparkle to it?
I experimented with this mantra yesterday on my bike ride, which happened to be a tough workout that included speed work and promised to provide much pain. When I chose not to “suffer” because of the pain, the pain seemed to dissipate. While the workout was still incredibly difficult, it was insignificantly easier than would be expected and than it normally feels for me. It was freeing not to suffer in a workout, and even more freeing to realize that it is a choice that I have in every arena of my life.
Life is going to bring you pain: physical, emotional, and financial. Accept that fact now so that you can let go of the anxiety and surprise that you will feel down the road when pain does come your way. As for me, I am choosing to eliminate the word suffering from my vocabulary and I am going to start redefining (and being thankful for) the role of pain in my life.
God bless unicorn tears and the power of the mind.