“Most people mistakenly believe that happiness is the absence of a load. We want life to be easy, without challenge or difficulty. However, it is by having a load that we can have the traction needed to move forward in our lives.”
— Benjamin Hardy, PhD.
In a world that teaches us to avoid pain at all costs, we often overlook a profound truth: it is through struggle and contrast that we grow, expand, and awaken to our purpose.
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The avoidance of pain is, paradoxically, its own kind of wounding. This reality — this life, this planet — is built on contrast, growth, and exploration. Pain and injury are inevitable, but their impact depends on how we frame and perceive them.
Our bodies grow stronger through stress and repair: muscles mend through damaged fibers, bones strengthen through microfractures and ossification. Force and impact are essential to health. Likewise, our thoughts and beliefs shape us deeply. We are beings who feel and reason, propelled toward purpose by the alchemy of conscious awareness.
We are not automatons. A world devoid of unpredictability would be lifeless, time itself stagnating. Constriction — whether spiritual, physical, or psychological — runs counter to our nature. The struggles we face, though uncomfortable, serve our growth and curiosity. Why not approach life with wonder? What can we influence, if not our reactions and perceptions?
This is why we resist control. We cherish autonomy, expression, and the individuation of experience. Life is a continuous flow of moments, each one shaping our journey, our humanity, and our legacy.
Our reasons for encountering pain are as varied as we are. Some endure gradual suffering, while others seek extremes, transforming themselves and the world in the process. Our perception of death is key to this journey: it’s not the end, but a transition. What matters most is how we live, not how we avoid the inevitable.
Life is creative motion. It listens, leads, and orchestrates the players and circumstances needed to fulfill our desires. When we remember this, pain reveals itself as a catalyst — a doorway to presence, growth, and healing.
Solvitur ambulando
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“Awaken” from Fleshwound