Beyond the Pain

This past Friday (Nov 25) I went to an all day workshop.

I was excited to attend because I had wanted to take this workshop for several
years and it had never been offered before in Calgary.
I also had a little trepidation. I had just attended a workshop the week before
with the same instructor and had some concerns. But, because I wanted to learn
the techniques so much I decided to pony up my fee and attend.

Turned out I was right and I was wrong.

I’ll put the experience in perspective by sharing what I said to my wife when
she asked, "How was the workshop?" My reply, "the content was
great. The process sucked!"

The instructor rambled and the workshop dragged. And, the noise in the room
made it hard to hear other participants and the chairs were harder than my
ex-wife’s heart.

If I had listened to my body/mind and DONE something about it I could have
reduced the discomfort caused by the instructor’s behavior. I did do one thing
that helped: Fearing that she might, once again, ramble I came prepared to
defocus and tune out. And, when I did it helped. But, not quite enough.

In retrospect, it would have been better to see what I could do to ask the
instructor to be more focused. To actually ask for what I needed.

I am proud that I did pay attention to my body during the workshop. Several
times I found myself feeling uncomfortable. Damn those chairs were hard. So, I
got up and walked around at the back of the classroom. I also left the
classroom and walked around the building a bit. All this helped.

But, finally the combination of the noise, the hard chairs, and the rambling
instructor got to me. So, I left for good. Yep! Me, who used to hang in until
the very end no matter how painful, actually left the workshop early.

Man what a relief to be away from all those stressors. As I walked to my car I
could feel the stress draining away. And, by the time I got home it
was gone.

I didn’t use to listen to my body. I’d keep going no matter how much it hurt.
Now, I listen!

Thursday is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, an annual occasion to give thanks, to express gratitude — and eat your face off.

Sometimes it doesn’t feel like you have a lot to be grateful for. Especially when you are in excruciating pain.

I remember lots of times lying in bed in severe pain, wishing I could die. Didn’t seem like a lot to be grateful for.

Yet, every night, just before going to sleep, I would spend a minute ‘praying’ and telling God what I was grateful for. I developed this practice after reading an article on the power of gratitude. I’ve been doing it habitually for 6 or more years.

Sometimes, like those days when I spent the whole day with excruciating pain, it took a great effort to find things to be grateful for. Yet, I always did.

Why be grateful?

Because being grateful actually helps heal us. Research has demonstrated that changes in brain chemistry and the body happen when a person is grateful.

Give it a try.

What are you grateful for?

If you’re American, or not, why not take time this Thursday to tell someone(s) why you’re grateful they are in your life. Or, show your gratitude in some other tangible way.

Your body, mind, soul, and spirit will be grateful!