Being a chiropractor, I usually only first meet people when they’re in pain. The pain or discomfort disrupted their lives enough that it prompted them to seek care. It is only when uneasiness starts to cause emotional or physical disturbances that it brings conscious awareness that something may be wrong. Most of us look to make the pain go away and focus our efforts to get us back to the way we were. But what if the pain is there to tell you that something in your life is no longer working for you?
We expend a great deal of time and energy trying to keep things familiar and comfortable. But trying to keep things the same, or to return them to the way they had previously been, may be keeping you from becoming more of yourself. Sometimes, the only way we can evolve is when everything doesn’t work out the way that we think it should.
Everything is always evolving and changing around us, so it’s only natural that we must change with it. Trying to avoid going with the flow only puts us in a place of resistance and makes life harder than it needs to be. Staying static and unchanging keeps things stagnant and does not allow for life to grow and expand to its full potential. Pain and discomfort should not be feared as they can alert you to your changing needs and desires as you grow into who you are.
So, if you are feeling pain or discomfort, whether it be physical or emotional, just feel it. Know that this feeling is temporary and is there to disrupt you from your current life. Resistance to an inner desire to play a bigger game can manifest as physical tension or feeling unfulfilled. Play around with thoughts of different circumstances and see what thoughts or ideas provide you even the slightest sense of relief. This will give you an indication as to what part of your life you’re outgrowing. For example, if you come home from work every day with a headache feeling tired and uninspired, this is clear indication that this situation is not working for you at the moment. This does not mean that you should just quit your job. It means that you need to take a deeper look into yourself and the situation. Perhaps you know that you are capable or deserving of more but lack the courage or motivation to see what you can accomplish.
So, instead of ignoring a pain or an uncomfortable feeling, take a moment to feel it and to acknowledge its existence. Don’t get stuck in the bad feeling, just play with the idea that there is a part of you that wants something different. You may worry that letting yourself feel the pain will create more negativity, but you are just acknowledging something that already exists. Allowing yourself to feel will help to release the resistance to something new and different. When you find a thought or an idea that makes you feel better, hold on to it. This will bring your focus to where you want to go and what you really want.
Nothing stays static for very long. We’re either expanding or contracting, while life is either evolving or shrinking. It can be painful and uncomfortable to adjust to any kind of change. Trying to suppress the discomfort usually only results in resistance and negative feelings. Sometimes, just acknowledging that something needs to change gives you a sense of relief and opens the space for you to grow into who you really are.
“As long as you try to stop a pain, you’re repressing a part that needs to be expressed. That is the cause of pain. The cause of pain is not allowing who you are to express, in some way or some element of life.” (Dr. Donald Epstein)
Copyright Dr. Julie Doobay 2023