Why No Pain No Gain Makes No Sense

This is an Opinion Piece – please feel free to disagree – with respect though!

We all go through our share of challenges, our fears, a nagging feeling that we are deconstructing into nothingness, and indifference towards morality. We all at some point feel stifled and end up worrying as to whether what we say or do, will resonate with everyone or will they just think of us as a waste of their precious time, and the biggie – what if they believe us to be someone with nothing to contribute.

Are these thoughts a reflection of the truth or just the ‘pain’ we accumulate? We accumulate despite them serving no real purpose, except ‘enabling’ the victim’s role. We believe, falsely so, that this ‘pain’ is the ticket to gain. It is time to let go of these limiting thoughts, let go of your past self so that there is space for the ‘new’, sans the pain. This is a different definition of gain. Rags to riches stories excite us – they make us feel justified in holding on to pain – but the fact is that nothing is truly insurmountable. It is we who get in our way – we ‘create’ the pain through self-doubt, unreasonable expectations, and worry. This ‘pain’ is our way of overcompensating and glorifying those ‘struggles’. And proudly announce that it is the pain that helped us gain – hell, I should be a tycoon if this were true 😊

The best ‘pain’ of all is the way we throw about ‘I am busy’ – we wear it like a shiny medal because it seems to elevate our self-worth. Appearing ‘busy’ all the time is our ‘pain’ to create an aura and a compelling tale to narrate about ourselves. This is not to put down times that we may be engrossed and truly busy – but using it consistently is simply a mindless excuse, which seeks to justify the ‘no pain no gain’ mantra. We know that there is a deeper issue that belies the always busy syndrome, and if we are honest about it, we would feel a sense of ‘freedom’ from this despotic unavailability.

I truly want to give up worry, self-doubt, and mindless fear that sometimes run my life – the pain that supposedly is ‘expected’ to precede gain. I want sufficient time to remain buoyant and radiate unrelenting appreciation and gratitude to even be afforded myriad opportunities and notes of positivity from some people, every single day. I am verbalizing this pain and calling it nonsense – because I know that playing victim just doesn’t cut it. I am deserving and this will enable me to face my fears, vanquish them, and emerge as a different and better person on the other side of these ‘confines’. I know there is more potential – but this will be complete when I operate from self-appreciation – from a place where I don’t need someone to ‘empower’ me. I know that I have expended way too much time and precious energy on the unrealistic yet consciously chosen ‘pain’ – and I must stop. I need to expect of myself, without allowing people’s reactions and words to steer those expectations – the expectations and actions must and will come from a place of self-truth.

It is possible to find tranquility and beauty as we go through whatever we do. Yes, challenges and crap will be there, but it is possible to flip them and form a ‘story’ that changes the norm of ‘no pain no gain’. Wishing you strength, joy, beauty, and peace!