Choosing Pain

So as I go on this fabulous journey to create inner peace I have come to some realizations. One of which is how we as human beings choose pain. Yes, I said we CHOOSE pain.

I know for myself there have been days when I have felt down and I know that all I have to do is think of something else, or change what I am doing to change how I feel. And I'll spend a few minutes "trying" (a useless word really. Like Yoda said, you either do or do not, there is no try.) to change my state of mind. However, after a few minutes I will convince myself that it's too much effort or too hard, and I'll give up and slip back into feeling blue.

It's incredible really. Once I really got that, it became easier and easier to change my state of being. It is not instant, at least not yet, but it sure beats the alternative. Staying sad. Once I began to make that realization for myself I began to see how my friends make that choice, too.

It has been interesting watching my friends choose the stories that keep them in turmoil. We make up a story about whatever present situation we find ourselves in and continually add to it until the story is bigger than what is actually happening. For instance, getting a parking ticket. Annoying yes, but really are you not just reaping the consequences of not following the rules? And in the grand scheme of life it is not in and of itself a big deal.

However, it is when you begin to create a story around it that it grows and takes on a life of its own. "The police are out to get me." "They (whoever 'they' are) are ripping everyone off." "Why does this always happen to me?" So many stories we can make up which if we played it on the big screen would be entertaining, but you could see how the ticket itself is not traumatic. We give it the power to alter our state of being. It does not, in reality have any power over us. Think not? Then why do some people let you in front of them on the freeway while others will honk their horn and suddenly try to run you down? It is all in the individual's state of being. It is not inherently the act itself. Interesting.

It has helped me to greatly improve my ability to spot it in myself. However, it sometimes seems that even knowing we have a choice, we choose it anyway. Why?

I'd love to hear your response to this question.

CJ