We Need Our Pain
If people were asked how they felt about pain, they would most likely tell you that they try to avoid it at almost any cost. Maybe this is human nature— or maybe we’ve conditioned ourselves to view pain in this way. It’s the discomfort we feel when we are in pain that compels us to run away from it. Instead of feeling what we need to feel, we numb ourselves with the unhealthy distractions of life. What I have learned from my own pain is that it is essential to my growth. Being heartbroken has a lot to teach us, and by running from this pain, we miss transformations that are essential to who we are. When we sit with the discomfort, we become more resilient and this is the moment when our pain becomes our power. This lesson has changed my life significantly because pain is unavoidable, and day by day I am learning how to be comfortable with it and allow it to teach me.
Have Faith In Yourself
We often hear that it is extremely important to love yourself and this is wildly true. However, part of loving yourself is having faith in yourself. As I have gotten older, I have learned that having faith in my ability to figure things out is an essential belief to succeeding. We all get stuck and confused, but when you are entirely aware of your inherent worth, you gain the confidence in yourself to try and succeed at something, even if it doesn’t turn out perfectly. Always be proud of how far you have come, because you are the only person who is with yourself every moment of every day until the day you die. If you cannot trust and love yourself, you will never be able to give that to others.
Vulnerability Is Essential
Similar to pain, vulnerability is uncomfortable to many. In such a closed off world, it’s a risk to be vulnerable and to show your true self to the world. We fear that if we show our flaws and what makes us sensitive, we won’t measure up to the world’s expectations. The most important aspect I have learned about vulnerability, is that it does the exact opposite of what we think— it doesn’t make us weak, it makes us courageous. Being vulnerable means allowing the world to see your pain, your struggles, your joy and your love. When we see one another’s collective emotions, we become united.
Practice Gratitude
The most important lesson I have learned on my journey is to always practice gratitude. When everything feels like it’s falling apart, the one thing I have to go back to is gratitude. When you reflect on the mundane, everyday things you’re grateful for, you are reminded of how rare and beautiful it is to be alive. I even find myself feeling grateful for the challenges and hardships I have faced, because they have brought me to where I am now and taught me a tremendous amount. Life is precious and when we forget to notice all that surround us, we lose touch of ourselves and the importance of our lives— and isn’t that a significant reason for being alive?