Suffering is part of our human condition; we all have it in varying degrees. What you do with it determines whether you stay stuck in it or develop the ability to transcend and grow.
I’m helping people with every kind of suffering right now – hurt, anger, disappointment, confusion, loss and grief. I’ve had my share too, haven’t you? When you can work your way through it and come out the other side, you gain wisdom, perspective and grace. It makes the journey worthwhile.
Here are a few transformative aspects of turning suffering into growth:
OVERREACTING BECOMES GRACE
Having strong emotional reactions to things you don’t like is normal. When it continues on to become a lifestyle of reactivity, it wreaks havoc, especially to your relationships. Strong anger, rage, hurt, or disappointment that lashes out destroys everything in its path. Learning to sit with it, quietly accepting it, helps you learn, grow and adapt to your reality. It quiets you from the inside out to bring you grace. Try the skill training of DBT to learn mindfulness and emotion regulation.*
CLOSED DENIAL BECOMES OPEN SHARING
Others choose to ignore their pain, pushing it away to focus on constant work, over involvement with others or chaos. Never dealing with your own suffering brings consequences: rigidity, brittle relationships, to being alone and lonely. The solution is to openly look at your truth, talk about it and work through it in counseling or with others who understand. The new perspectives that come from peeling back the many layers of pain invariably bring relief and a new life.
BLAIMING BECOMES RESPONSIBILITY
Another common way to stay in suffering is to find others to blame – it keeps anger, hurt and suffering on a low boil, stunting your ability to move on. The stress of indignation takes a toll on your body and your mental health, creating divisiveness that pushes people away. Looking at things from every angle, finding where you can now take responsibility for your choices is a first step toward freedom. When you are no longer a victim, you become a champion for your own healthy life.
Can you relate to this? If you’d like to learn more, reach out.
*DBT stands for Dialectical Behavior Training – try this helpful resource to learn these skills. www.dbtselfhelp.com
