I'm always on the look out for inspirational quotes that make me think and the other day I came across one that just kinda hit me...

"Don't run from your pain - run into your pain" (Bryant McGill) 

Hmm...don't run from your pain...run into your pain? I tell ya...those nine words had my mind thinking. What did you think when you read it? What thoughts went through your mind? Are you running from your pain or are you running into it? hmm....

We know how we can run from our pain...but how do we run into it? And do we even want to? OH YEAH! we do! 

Often what we fear is not the true reality of our fears.

What are your thoughts on that comment? Would you agree? When it comes to your fears...what is the true reality? Have you ever explored your fears to find out? 

During my journey I came face to face with my fears and when I learned to understand them...I learned how to move through them. And even though I'm still scared...I'm doing it anyway.

When I avoided going out...I wasn't afraid of falling, I was afraid of embarrassing myself and having people laugh at me.

I wasn't afraid of love, I was afraid of someone not accepting me (just like I didn't                                                                                                              accept me).                                                                                        

"Just because your pain is understandable, doesn't mean your behavior is acceptable."

What a thought boom that is. Would you agree with it?

Are you responsible for your behaviour when your pain has taken your voice? Have you ever lashed out at someone because you're body is hurting? What about when your pain has your patience? What's your behaviour like then? 

How you behave is your responsibility. No matter what someone else may say or do...you are responsible for how you respond and behave. 

Hello and good morning...I hope you're having a good weekend.

I would like to take a moment and share a reminder with you....

What I share here are my thoughts and the things I did and still do today to help me through my pain..it's a part of me. I am sharing it with you in the hopes to help and to let you know you're not alone. Doing this site helps me to make something good from my pain...it helps me to heal and if I can help do that for someone else, then my pain is of benefit.

I am not here to tell you what to do in your life or with your pain...my goal is to provide information, support, encouragement and even a laugh if I can...but I do hope to challenge your thoughts as well.

I am not a doctor...I am just like you and I hurt too. The information shared here is for your personal entertainment only. It is not meant to take the place of direct professional medical care with your doctor and/or treatment team. Please do not use the information shared here to make changes to your prescriptions or medical care without speaking to a professional. 

What is shared here is my opinion...my thoughts...my experiences...I don't expect nor think you will feel and think the same way, and I can respect the differences we may have....I ask that you respect mine as well. 

Thank you for being here and for all the time you spend with me reading what I share...it means a lot.
Please take good care of you
​Tammy

There is a lot of talk in today's education and child development when it comes to "self regulation" and the more I read about it...the more I realize that not only do our children need to learn this skill...so do we as adults. 

How well do you self regulate? How easily are you able to control your emotions in a situation? Are you able to control your impulses or behaviour? What about the things you say or do to others? Just a few questions to think about...but I hope you will. The more you know about how you respond and react...the more you're able to change things moving forward.

When it comes to self regulation...it is something that is within our abilities to learn about and I do believe we can adopt this skill into our lives as adults. It requires getting to know yourself in an intimate way...learning your triggers and learning how you respond to them...and what you can do differently too.

Self regulation is akin to self-control in many ways but it also goes beyond that. Learning how to respond differently, learning how to change how you think, and even how you may act at times too and gaining new coping skills are a part of it too.

I'd like to share some information to get you started learning about self regulation. This article is geared toward personal health management and I hope when you're done reading it that you will give serious thought to how your are managing your health and whether you're doing the best for you. 

If you have further questions about this theory there are multiple sites on the web to check out or even speak to your doctor...they may have some suggestions too. If you're seeing a counsellor as a part of your treatment...talk to them too okay? Learning about one's own behaviour takes time and it takes patience too.

Please keep in mind that when you start adopting new behaviours or life skills...you are changing behaviours you've used throughout your life...give yourself the time to learn new ones as you move forward.

take good care of you 
​Tammy

We're constantly being asked to "rate your pain"...but what is a 4 for one person could be a 6 or even an 8 for someone else. You may even feel that one part of your body is a smiling 3 where another is a screaming 7. 

Numbers aren't always easy to use when relating to our pain and numbers mean different things for different people...leaving pain open to interpretation of the person experiencing it...or those trying to understand it.

But what if we were to think of our pain like a stop light?

There are many things that will and have shaped how we behave, how we think, and how we respond to the happenings in our lives. The consequences to life are both good and bad and they can each be shaped by two general principals:

Reward conditioning...when we experience rewarding moments we are conditioned by what will encourage us and reward us to continue to behave in a certain manner. 

Consequence conditioning...when we experience negative consequences we are conditioned in what we don't like or want and will behave in a manner to avoid such things.

Have you ever done this? Have you ever distanced yourself from someone? What was the reason? Personal question I know but please do give it some thought. 

We distance ourselves from people all the time...even our closest friends and family...and we do it for many different reasons. What are yours? Why do you distance yourself? 

The most common reasons why we distance ourselves I think, is that we're feeling hurt. Or maybe it's a trust thing for you? Or maybe you just reach your maximum level of people interaction and you need a break? Is that true for you? What makes you distance yourself?

When we distance ourselves it can be a healing thing at times...but it can also cause us to lose relationships. Has this happened to you too? Or was that what you wanted to happen? Have the phone calls and invites stopped yet? Are your friends still coming by? There are downfalls when we distance ourselves.

Needing the time away to gather yourself and your thoughts is a human thing...we need some distance at times. Distancing ourselves can be a healing thing...just don't forget to rejoin your life again okay? 

take good care of you

When pain is a part of our lives we may not always handle it in the best way. Sometimes the things we do to relieve our pain or to even escape from it....can cause harm to ourselves.

While feeling your pain...have you ever done something to "help" but which left scars behind? 

I have and I have the scars to prove it...ones you can see and even ones you can't...but I have them.

Self harm comes in many forms and it's not just physical...it can be emotional and it can be mental too.

Sometimes the ways we talk to ourselves isn't always nice nor is it helpful...and sometimes too our thoughts can be what causes the physical self harm cycle to start.

Is that true for you? It was for me...and I say was because I don't leave scars behind anymore. They've healed...but they do remain as a reminder of where I've been and what I choose do differently now for myself moving forward.

We're all addicted to something that takes the pain away.

Do you agree with that? Yes? No? What did you think about when you looked at the meme?  

Personally...I think it's true...and I can honestly say I've experienced more than one...and even a few that aren't pictured here...and some in different ways than what is depicted...I've been addicted.

I would even go so far as to say I still am today...but in many ways...my addictions have changed.

No longer do I crave the pills to soothe my pain...I'm addicted to music and my art.

No longer do I hurt myself or leave scars behind...I'm addicted to my walks.

No longer do I beat myself up...I'm addicted to me.

What are you addicted to? What role does it play in your life currently? Is it helpful and healing...or harmful and hurtful...do your addictions leave scars behind? 

We all have addictions...it's true...but which ones are you living with and what can you do about them moving forward? 

take good care of you okay?
Meme found at Dystopia Inside Me on Facebook