Why Don't You See Pain and Suffering as A Challenge?

Hello dearest reader, thanks for coming to my house. As I welcome you now, I hope you'll come again to read a little of what I think is necessary for every person to understand. Let us get into what I have to share here and now without further ado. 

What is pain? What is suffering? and what is a challenge? Do I really need to define what these powerful words mean? I don't think so haha. It is clear that there is no ambiguity when it comes to the substance these words carry. Just so we are on the same page, many will agree that a challenge is just a fancy word for a dare. I dare you and I challenge you are the same things. In this sense, I'm purporting that pain and to a greater extent suffering is but a challenge or a dare. To be more precise, these are occasions when life tests us to the fullest to see if we give in or rise above the temporary predicament or whatever that may be. 

Ending of last year, resolutions were set going into this year. I had made up my mind to basically leave out habits that brought no value or just to outrightly stay away from things that drained my energy and strength (all going well for those that are curious haha). To enable myself to stay in lane, I got "Atomic Habits" by James Clear and read all of it pretty fast. Just like with reading books, you come across information you previously had not known. One thing I learned which is not directly related to habits but very crucial to pain and suffering was how humans are inherently designed to avoid pain. How we are built to take the easy way out/the path of least resistance when faced with challenges. Of course, this is some general aspects of us as humans.

However, while doing some life analysis, I realized that there's no single successful individual in whatever field whatsoever that hasn't had to deal with challenges of some sort. Initially, I thought these challenges had to be for those who eventually become presidents, super rich, boxing and UFC champions, etc. Then I looked at my life and asked myself what major challenges which required great effort, and sacrifice filled with pain did I overcome. I got like two (lol) and I was pretty impressed. Then I realized that the greater the effort and sacrifice (which is some sort of pain) the greater the reward once the challenge is completed. 

Take yourself for example, in order to pass your exams you had to spend time and put in the effort. To get that job, you had to go through some lengthy process and screening which you didn't like. When your loved one died (bless their memory), you were shattered but eventually overcame the pain (something that requires effort) by accepting that your deceased one will not be in the afterlife wanting to see you go on weeping but would rather love for you to live on and cherish the times you had with them while they were here. That peace comes with overcoming the pain of grief which is indeed a challenge. To be the best at a competition or task, one must have devoted time and effort which always come with physical and psychological/mental pain in order to be the best. Some could use the time to have fun and engage in the pleasures life has to offer. Think of any great person you know and read about them and what they had to go through to be where they at. If you don't see the painful sacrifice in their journey then I guess you need my lenses. 

Every achievement no matter the scale has some pain (physical/psychological) to it and the point I'm bringing across is that if you avoid this pain and seek the easy way out, you are guaranteed to amount to nothing in life. You can cheat your way to a goal but you'll get caught by life at some point and you will have to come face to face with pain and either deal with it or crumble. Every human will and must embrace some sort of pain if they are to amount to something society respects and appreciates. That is to say, to become the person you dream of becoming, you'll have to seek life challenges, and embedded in these challenges are periods of pain and suffering. Some will come at you while you will actively seek some out by yourself. The overarching goal remains to overcome these challenges. In all you do, keep going, cry through it, laugh through it but never sleep while at it, and remember to keep going for life is a cycle and nothing last forever. 

One of my life idols Mr. Ray Dalio once said "Pain plus Reflection equals Progress" and he was absolutely spot on.

With this, I rest my case while wishing the Americans a Happy 4th of July (Independence Day!!)