5 Reasons To Accept Pain For Being Happy

Happiness and pain seem to be conflicting and incompatible conditions. But is it possible to be happy in the midst of pain? Accepting pain is not only possible when seeking happiness, it is also necessary.

In reality, happiness does not mean the absence of pain. In fact, true happiness lasts even in the midst of it. The point is not to avoid the pain we feel or minimize its impact on our lives. This impact and our life itself is both deeply beautiful and painful. You can not have one thing without the other. Instead, it is about accepting pain in our lives.

“Life will bring pain by itself. Your responsibility is to create joy. “
–Milton Erickson–

Happiness is contagious, even in the midst of pain

Happiness is a state of being okay in any case. This has very little to do with our circumstances and is directly related to the way we think about our lives and what is happening around us.

The fact that happiness is contagious is not just a pleasant thought. Instead, it is a chemical process that takes place in our brains, thanks to mirror neurons.

When we see someone experiencing an emotion, our brain can “try” the same emotion by imagining what the other person is going through. The brain does this to try to trigger the same synapses that can be linked to the emotions it has identified. This, which is basically empathy, is also a way for us to get a sense of the crowd.

Each time these synapses run, the brain is reshaped. That is why it is so important to spend time with people who are able to be in a good mood. People who radiate joy. You should also avoid pessimists and grumpy people. But that’s just the first step. Accepting pain still involves a number of issues that we need to analyze.

Why will accepting pain help make you happier?

The benefits of happiness are undeniable. For example, it can help us live a longer and healthier life. But the truth is that many people have no idea how to be happy. In fact, the searches for happiness that some people commit to are counterproductive. Partly because they are based on avoiding and eliminating grief in their lives.

But we have already mentioned that happiness is much more than the absence of sorrow. Pain is truly a necessary part of happiness. In fact, research and studies show that it can provide space for pleasure in many ways. Below you will see why.

1. Pain helps you recognize the pleasure

Happiness as a state of mind is a matter of contrasts. If you were happy all the time, you would not be able to see that stage as happiness. Sometimes it is necessary to experience the opposite end of the spectrum in order to recognize and appreciate true happiness.

This does not mean that there is no lack of pain in recognizing the pleasure. Instead, it is possible to appreciate and enjoy the small details that you would not even notice, regardless of its type or origin.

“Happiness is good for the body, but pain is what develops the powers of the mind.”

2. Relief from pain increases your pleasure

Pain is not pleasant, but its relief is sure. Studies show that when pain disappears, the body experiences increased happiness. An increase that is above the level of happiness you would experience if you had never felt the pain.

This also highlights the fact that simple things can become more appreciated and create more happiness as you go through a tough process. This would also increase the feeling of gratitude. Pleasure is also transformed into something far more profound and long-lasting, into more than a physical sensation.

Pain strengthens social conditions

Pain nurtures empathy. Therefore, people tend to hover over others who are going through a tough process, such as. the death of a loved one or a serious illness. This social connection, which comes from grief, increases cooperation and produces the best in people.

Thanks to this, it is much easier to accept pain and strengthen these conditions. It creates much stronger connections that last much longer. In this sense, grief will help you get to know people and discover the good that is in them. You discover things that will remain even when the storm is over.

Persistent pain makes you worthy of a reward

Overcoming a difficult situation makes you feel worthy of a prize earned through your efforts. What you get is not important in this case. What matters is that you have overcome adversity, that you have overcome yourself.

In fact, it is this overcoming and knowing how to do it that constitutes the real reward. It can really be translated into any simple thing whose role is to make us more aware of the effort that is being invested.

5. Pain makes you more alert

Pain makes you aware of what is happening at the moment. It makes you live in the now. Maybe that makes it insignificant to say it like that. But being attentive is an ability that is directly related to happiness.

Being aware of what you are experiencing at the moment makes you forget superficial problems in order to concentrate on what really matters. That way, you avoid worrying about things that have no solution and feeling sorry for the uncertainty of not knowing what might happen tomorrow. Learning to live in the moment, even when you are experiencing pain, can help you have a happier life.