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Suffering Exacerbates Pain – How To Let Go of The Suffering.

Pain is real. It is inevitable in life. The pain of a relationship ending. The pain of betrayal, the pain of leaving someone and the list goes on. Suffering is not pain. Suffering is a psychological construct. Suffering is a mindset. Suffering is the not letting go of the pain which should be long gone now.

Suffering is the meaning we give the pain. Suffering can be avoided. Pain cannot be avoided. Pain rises, falls and disappears. Suffering is when we prevent the pain from falling or even disappearing.

Pain has an organic natural ebb and flow and end. Suffering interrupts this natural expression of the human condition.

How do we stop the suffering? One way is to surrender. Surrendering is accommodating ourselves wisely in situations beyond our control. This is a fancy way of practicing the art of letting go. When we wisely accommodate ourselves to situations beyond our control we practice acceptance. Pain often involves some kind of grief. Grief follows the path of denial, anger, sadness and eventually acceptance.

Surrender is allowing ourselves the permission to accept what has or is happening when it is beyond our control.

The other way of letting go of the suffering is to find meaning. Viktor Frankl in his mind blowing story as a survivor of one of the worst concentration camps in history said we can find meaning in 3 ways.

  1. From work we feel is significant and contributes to other.
  2. Caring for someone.
  3. Finding courage in doing something difficult.

Pain will happen, suffering does not have to happen.

Thank you for reading, love Joe.

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