Pain means there is something wrong. Does it?
A more empowering way to look at it is...
February 1st, W Sussex
623 words of encouragement
This week’s Skill Session looked at this in detail with ways to make it practical.
Something is wrong is a common phrase used when things are judged to be not right.
If it is wrong, the implication is it should be another way.
I have pain therefore there is something wrong.
You may think of a particular disease or injury and consider these to be ‘something wrong’.
People ask, what is wrong?
The implication that something is not as it should be is one way to look at things.
However, this way can feel disempowering, disheartening, lower energy, drive a search for external reasons, and become a focus in itself. None of these are useful for the necessary positive changes your body and body systems are asking for.
Their primary goal is to keep you going.
What is another way…a positive way?
And I don’t mean positive thinking.
I mean to focus on what you want, where you are heading, and the best step to take now.
Instead of thinking something is wrong and needs fixing, you understand that the way you feel and what is happening right now is because of a set of conditions and your state.
Because of the conditions and your state, what you are experiencing is only what you can experience. This is it.
Your state includes your biology, the situation, past experiences, expectations, beliefs, mood and the story you tell yourself.
When you mix the ingredients in the photo together and put them in the oven, you have created certain conditions. This means you get a cake.
Not a chicken pie.
For chicken pie you need different conditions.
If you are feeling pain, the conditions are such that pain is the experience.
Not something else.
Although there are plenty of other things going on at the same time of course, but you may not notice (that’s another skill to develop).
So, when you feel pain, there are conditions, and there is a message from your body and body systems that there are needs to be met, and a goal to be worked towards.
The early work is clarifying your needs and your goals, then the strategy can be formed, a new story and great states to bring it alive with skills in your day to day living.
I call this ‘living yourself better’.
What are you doing?
You are creating different conditions. Changing state. Meeting your needs, which can include medical treatments and interventions if indicated, but always with skills and know-how to live yourself better because that is the bulk of your waking time. And because transforming chronic pain, easing it, is a learning process and personal growth. You don’t need fixing.
You have strengths and capabilities to make positive changes for lasting success.
The purpose of Pain Coaching is to guide and support you along the way.
And it works.
Brief summary
Moving from thinking there is ‘something wrong’ to ‘there are conditions meaning this is what I am experiencing’
When you establish the conditions and your state, you can use your skills to change both to change your experience
This becomes a way of navigating your way forward, shaping a positive future
Hope that helps.
r.s.
Pain Coaching: guidance and support in a caring collaboration when you learn the skills and know-how to live yourself better.
The non self and being a witness to what is happening is very interesting 🤔.
I am questioning why before I go to bed pain is middling,at the end of the telephone I like to use.But what are my beliefs about my bed,because pain goes beyond the scale when I lie down to sleep. I have to get up and sleep on my day bed,still have pain but it changes.Why ?
I go back to my bedroom later and the bed doesn't hurt me as much.? Why
Thanks for making me aware of what my needs are....work in progress.