Pain is just potential information on areas of growth and self-discovery... To those who are experienced enough to recognize it.

When examined closely... Struggle is the root of all happiness.

Here are two interrelated things that I have been tossing around in my head today as I continue to delve into the SPIRIT component of health.

Most people will do ANYTHING to avoid pain... But here’s the thing... There is infinite wisdom and insight in and beyond sensations of pain... If you open up and ask yourself why... why are you experiencing pain in this specific area? (be it physical or non-physically derived) That’s where special insightful answers reside.

I have learned from experience that pain is really just an old friend of mine... it is, quite literally, the force (the tool) that shapes me and grows me into the man I aspire to be.

Physically we can not expect change (for the better) without embracing the realities of pain... pain is ever present. It's a pain in the butt to get to where you want to go. It goes without saying that there is always going to be a certain amount of pain (or perhaps a better word for it is discomfort!) that your going to experience during the course of your life and the endeavors you undertake!

As well, emotional pain is NOT your enemy despite what (in the moment) you may be feeling. Rather it is your trusted friend because it shows you where you need to close gaps. There is a good reason for you to be feeling that pain! And it’s not all bad because it's a light shining on the things that will ultimately define your life... If you let it!

When you carefully examine it.. pain and struggle are important to feeling fulfilled and happy in this life. When you achieve something life brings you full circle because happiness is a direct byproduct of struggle. It's circular isn't it? Struggle (can) bring about happiness and happiness (can) come from struggle.

However... if you allow F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real) to short circuit the insights behind your pain and struggles pain ends up hollowing out the SPIRIT. Tendency toward to try to fill (with all sorts of addictive behavior) the resulting hole that’s left behind leave the victim feeling even more empty on the inside.

Here's where it gets tricky. While pain (in all it's forms) can be understood positively as a signal or prompt to action... Not every event that causes a pain prompt is healthy or good for you. There are some pain inducing happenings that can cause real and lasting damaging... And that is the bad part. 911 Emergency pain is important to respond effectively to. Emotional pain that isolates and depresses the SPIRIT is not the sort of pain that's meant to be faced alone.

So much of life’s pain, however, isn’t actually that kind of pain and struggle. It's really discomfort (or even modern inconvenience!)

So you can see how knowing the difference between the types of pain might be important... being honest with yourself and listening to your little voice (your SPIRIT) is vital to understanding the difference!

Want to maximize your progress and personal growth? Ask yourself where exactly you are feel the most discomfort. What area of your life feels painful to you? I know... Not to many of you want to look directly at that... BUT IT'S IMPORTANT! If you want to overcome, life more freely, unlock unrealized potential, and leap over previous limits!

It’s when you learn to reject F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real) and listen to your little voice... The one that always speaks the truth to you. The one that points you towards the direction your heart wants to go. The one that prompts you to take care of your health. The one that keeps you safe from real and significant harm. That's your little voice. Your SPIRIT.

It will guide you to ask questions like:

“Why exactly am I experiencing this pain and discomfort?”

“What is my intuition telling me right now?”

"What would happen if I didn't respond the way I usually do when I feel pain?"

"What might I discover about the world and learn about myself?"

Maybe listening to your SPIRIT and asking questions like these could help you alleviate the frustration you feel when I think about who you are becoming, where you are taking your life, and what you are doing on a daily basis.

Perhaps cultivating your spirit with little voice mastery might be the answer you have been looking for... That's how important SPIRITUAL health is... It's the difference between an energized life and a depleted one.

In fact, I believe that people who take care to listen to their SPIRITS build up the resilience required to make significant changes in the other aspects of their health. Mind. Body. Special Focus.

So! When’s the last time you listened to your “little voice” and it brought you to something painful that you have been avoiding? Why, do you think you were experiencing the pain that you were experiencing? Could the pain be leading you to opportunity and away from frustration?

Fear of pain can keep you healthy and out of harms way. It can also hold you back. Sometimes what seems bad at first glance can really be a form of discomfort disguised as pain... That said, there is also REAL and ACTUALIZED pain! It's acute in nature and can be traced directly to an event.

Not all pain is healthy... The statement, “No pain no gain!” isn’t always actuate. (Especially if it’s 911 Emergency Pain!)

You may be experiencing pain in any of these forms right now. Although the event that initially caused this pain is certainly bad and the pain your feeling real... All pain, from my experience, can be used to transform you and may even lead you to your next breakthrough!

So! Do you know the difference between health and unhealthy pain? Do you know how to transform unhealthy pain into healthy motivation?

Stopping to REALLY understand your pain could be the next step you need to take. It could make all the difference!

I know it's not going to be easy, but please, let me encourage you to take some time to listen to your little voice today! You might be surprised at what you find!

wil.metcalfe
Fitness Entrepreneur
Certified Petsonal Trainer
@BeachReady
@AdventureReady
@Actifit
@EveryStepCounts

P.S. Would you like to do more to compound your SPIRIT? Want to learn how to listen to your own little voice inside? Well here's a list of some of my favorite activities for doing just that! I hope they give you the boost you need!

SET S.M.A.R.T. GOALS!

Today's #AutomaticWin

HOW TO GET AN #AUTOMATICWIN

STEP 1

Select your activity:

• #AdventureWalk
• #AdventureRun
• #AdventureClimb (Stairs)
• ALL OF THE ABOVE!

STEP 2

Get 10,000 steps before 10am.

STEP 3

Take a screen shot of your @Actifit step count for proof of an #AutomaticWin.

STEP 4

At the end of the day post your proof of activity to the Steem blockchain with the @Actifit app as you normally would.

STEP 5

Include (along with the #Actifit hashtag) the #AutomaticWin hashtag and the screen capture proof you took when you got your 10,000 steps before 10am to your end of day post using the @Actifit app.
NOTE: You may also include the #AdventureWalk, #AdventureRun, or @AdventureClimb hashtags depending on what primary activity you did to get your #AutomaticWin! We will use this information to enhance the step statistics we publish during the course of any currently running Step Challenges! It should be noted that if you use more than one of the above hashtags the first and primary one will be utilized to generate statistics.

Congratulations! You have achieved an #AutomaticWin! Being intentional with your health means the rest of your day is now officially the bonus round! How sweet is that?! The more #AutomaticWin’s around the world the better all around so make sure you tell your friends all about how you made it happen this morning!

💨10,000👟 + 10am⏱ = #AutomaticWin!💥🏅💥

** Please note that you will need to follow each of the simple steps above to qualify for an #AutomaticWin. Failure to do this will mean that, although you may have completed plenty of steps for the day an #AutomaticWin must be confirmed by the above parameters.
***If you have further questions please feel free to click over to the #AutomaticWin hashtag where you will find a feed of other peoples posts as examples and inspiration! If you need more clarity you can always contact Hive account@wil.metcalfe here on SteemIt or the @Actifit Discord Channel.

Daily Activity,Walking,Weight Lifting