Dear Friend,
Pain. It’s a subject that most of us would rather not hear about. And others, less fortunate, cannot get out of their minds.
Of course, pain comes in many forms. Physical pain is the most obvious form. I am not a physician so I will not address the physical or psychological issues associated with that affliction.
Emotional pain is something altogether different, and something that all of us at one time or another have been confronted with.
Why do we experience emotional pain? And what can we do to minimize this unwelcome guest in our lives?
Some say that emotional pain is actually our own resistance to what is. Our failure to simply accept the fact that what is is not what we previously desired or expected.
Others say that emotional pain is not within our intellectual control. That it is deeply rooted in human instinct.
Many who experience this pain report that it seems to originate more in the trunk of the body, rather than in the head. Interestingly, there are more neurons (brain-type cells) located in the trunk of the human body than there are in the brain itself. Some scientists have even speculated that in our primitive, worm-like ancestors, the main neural control for the body was located in the gut.
Perhaps this is why people often report a sudden emotional shock as “gut-wrenching,” or feel strong chest pain when faced with sudden emotional trauma.
So much for the science.
And what does emotional pain have to do with living the life of your dreams?
The reality is that most of us have to face some emotional pain in order to make the changes to our lives that we need to live authentically. In fact, it is easy to live your life authentically. It comes to each of us naturally. And it is relatively easy to continue to live our lives in denial, avoiding the changes that might transform our lives.
Successfully making the transition from a life of denial to a life of authenticity, and overcoming the struggle within that transition, is the heart of what I teach.
And within that struggle, most of us will find emotional pain.
How should we confront this pain? Is pursuit of our dreams worth risking inviting such pain into our lives?
I cannot cover such a big topic here today. However, I do plan to continue to discuss this aspect of your journey to a new and better life in future posts.
For now, just be aware of it and know that you can and will overcome it.
The first step is to find courage within your own self.
Talk to you soon,
Hugh
