I am not being glib about discussing physical pain; I want to talk about the positivity of it instead. Because when we are mindful about how our bodies work: we can reduce some of our pain, and any reduction in it, is like winning the body lottery. It also significantly improves our mental wellbeing.

 

The glorious sliver of pain relief, happened for me a year ago when I was issued a prosthetic to straighten my gait; I went from 10/10, in pain, to now a 9/10, and in that space, I started scrutinizing my body further.

 

I realised that I am the conductor of what I dub my orchestra of pain: I am the boss of the musicians, since I now know how to manage them. I know when a member is out of tune, and when this occurs, I have new knowledge and can hone into a solution…

 

It was only a couple of years ago that it even dawned on me to make lifestyle changes, and although there are no hacks or shortcuts, we can all start gradually as I did, – when I noted how much my daily intake of fresh produce was, and what I needed to eat to reach the optimum. Eating well in itself reduces stomach pains.

 

Of course, these changes orientate around eating healthily, exercising, within the restraints of the disability, in my case, and getting enough sleep. When we apply these, we become further aware of how our individual bodies work. For instance, when we awaken in the morning, we should feel refreshed: if we don’t then this indicates that we’re not getting sufficient sleep. Go to bed earlier, and the following day, your baton will have a smoother flow to it.

 

Similarly, if you have a headache, don’t be a martyr take the recommended dose of paracetamol. It’s worth noting that in many cases, it’s our bodies way of telling us that we’re dehydrated. Try to get into the habit of drinking a glass of water before you go to bed, and make it the first thing you do when you wake up.

 

By not allowing our physical pain to rule us, we can detach our mind from it. We can observe our musicians before a concert: straighten bow ties, tweak the instruments, and take action.

 

When we’re objective about it, we see things as they are: a bird’s-eye view! So, for example, I’ve only recently realised that the muscles in my disabled side, candy-twist around the skeletal structure. Yes, it painful, but it’s positive because discovering this has given me valuable information: I have to further adapt how I exercise.

 

I am grateful to have adopted a healthy mindset about my physical pain, and that in itself is a pain reducer. I also cannot reiterate enough, that gratitude actually lessens pain too. Before I get out of bed in the morning, I remind myself how blessed I am that I can even walk.

 

I hope this is helpful. SUNNY wishes, Emma x