“Become more accepting and settled with the fact that life is hard”…

Why, in a time of unprecedented wealth, freedom, technological progress, and medical advancement, do we appear to be unhappier and in more pain than ever?… 

This idea that we should constantly seek out relief from our suffering is not going to make us happy in the end. And instead, what we need to do is intentionally invite pain and discomfort into our lives, and also just become more accepting and settled with the fact that life is hard and that most of us struggle on any given day. And that it’s okay to be unhappy and it’s normal.

As long as people are taught that they should be ecstatically happy 24/7 or something is wrong with them — with their brain chemistry, with their relationship, with their job — people are constantly going to be looking for ways to change it up, which won’t necessarily solve the problem. 

— Stanford’s Anna Lembke, on today’s pain epidemic

My favourite therapist told me at the beginning of my healing journey that I had a broken compass. He said, the issue is, you want everything to be sunny and sunnier. You don’t like anger, you don’t like negativity. But you need to experience ALL of your emotions, without labelling them as good or bad, because they each provide vital information about your experiences, your needs, your boundaries. Addressing your emotions will help you make high quality decisions and ultimately lead to a more fulfilling life. Wow. Game changer. Just sayin’ ;) Hugs. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl