Pain, Not Suffering

 

If suffering brings wisdom, I would wish to be less wise.

William Butler Yeats / poet, writer, politician / 1865–1939

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As we come to find sooner or later, part of being human means experiencing pain and suffering. Pain is unavoidable in life; however, suffering is often optional. By invoking the proper mind-set, you can quickly do away with the vast majority of suffering that you experience. Pain will naturally arise over time, but as the nineteenth-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche stated, “What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” With that in mind, the best course of action is to deal with any pain or adversity in a positive manner and then let things go and move on. Suffering is considered optional because it can typically be eliminated by letting go of want, specifically the desire to have things be other than they are. When we accept what is, we can discover the freedom needed to realize peace and happiness. If you think about it, we’re not here that long, and loss is inevitable throughout life, particularly in the end; as such, it helps not to get too attached to anyone or anything. That doesn’t mean we should avoid loving and cherishing that which we value; rather, we can retain perspective by leveraging our natural abilities, such as acceptance and detachment.

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Granted, such things are easier said than done; however, there are steps we can take to aid in such endeavors. First, we can simplify life by understanding the playing field. Awareness of the science behind thoughts and emotions, for example, demonstrates the value of basic principles and practices that we can leverage to turn our lives around or take things to new levels. Then, understanding reality and learning how to mold it will dramatically increase our potential to excel as well as our capacity for happiness. Next, identifying the greatest adversary we each face—namely, fear—and learning how to manage it will empower us more than we might imagine. This can be accomplished by leveraging the innate abilities we possess, along with tactics to cope with adversity and strategies to map out courses for achievement. Finally, by remaining positive, maintaining an open mind, and pursuing our goals with vigor, we’ll find ourselves destined for success.

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