Pain is a Gift (Even When It Doesn’t Feel Like It): How to Start Listening to the Message

“Why is this happening to me?”

If you live with chronic pain, you’ve probably asked yourself this question—maybe more times than you can count.

Whether it’s joint pain, back pain, autoimmune flares, or other lingering symptoms, pain can feel like an unfair punishment… a weight holding you back from the life you want to live.

I know. I’ve been there.

Nine years ago, I went from being a fit, healthy woman to someone who could barely walk. My joints were inflamed, my energy was gone, and my spirit felt broken. Even with my background in engineering, where problem-solving is second nature, I felt completely lost.

What I discovered, however, changed my life forever.

Pain wasn’t just a symptom. It was a message.
A sacred summons from within.

The Truth Behind Pain Most Doctors Don’t Talk About

Conventional medicine is excellent at identifying what's mechanically wrong in the body, but it often misses the deeper layers of what's really going on.

Pain is not just a physical experience.

It’s also emotional. Energetic. And even spiritual.

James Hollis, renowned Jungian analyst, once said,

“The symptom is the psyche’s way of alerting us that something is out of alignment, and that our soul requires our attention.”

In other words, pain isn’t just something to be silenced. It’s something to be understood.

Pain as a Wake-Up Call

In my case, pain was asking:

• Are you living in alignment with your truth?
• Are you ignoring the whispers of your inner voice?
• Are you carrying unprocessed grief, stress, or emotion?
• Are you truly nourishing yourself—body, mind, and soul?

I realized I had spent years pushing through life. Like many women, especially those over 50, I had been taking care of everyone else while ignoring my own needs. I thought if I just ate well or took supplements, I’d be okay.

But my body had other plans.

It was calling me to slow down. To feel. To listen.

The Hidden Gifts of Pain

When we start to shift our relationship with pain—from “Why is this happening to me?” to “What is this trying to teach me?”—something beautiful happens.

We begin to awaken.

Here are a few of the unexpected gifts I—and many of my clients—have received from chronic pain:

✅ Greater self-awareness

✅ Emotional release and healing

✅ A deeper connection to intuition

✅ Clarity on what really matters

✅ A renewed sense of purpose

Yes, pain is uncomfortable. But growth often is.

How to Begin Listening to Your Pain

You don’t have to wait until the pain becomes unbearable. You can begin tuning in today.

Here are a few gentle ways to start:

🌀 Breathe into the pain. Instead of resisting, place a hand over the area of pain and breathe deeply. What do you notice?

📝 Ask a question. Try journaling with this prompt: If my pain could speak, what would it say to me right now?

💛 Offer kindness. Replace frustration with compassion. Try whispering, “I hear you. I’m listening.”

You Aren’t Broken—You’re Becoming

Pain can feel like a curse. But often, it’s an initiation into a deeper, truer version of yourself.

You are not being punished. You are being invited to heal … on every level.

If this resonates with you, I’ve created a free downloadable journal to help you begin the process of listening and reflecting:

 👉 Download: What Is Pain Trying to Tell Me? Reflective Journal

Your body is wise.

Your healing is possible.

And this journey—though hard—is leading you home to yourself.