Pain is an inevitable part of life, a subscription fee for living and doing things that matter.

There’s no escaping it, no shortcuts, hacks or magic spells to make it disappear.
Instead of running away from pain, I’ve learned to embrace it, to welcome it as a sign of growth and change.

Looking back through my journal, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern:

The amount of pain I have to endure is constant

It’s like a debt that must be paid, whether I like it or not.
The only thing within my control is how I choose to pay this debt. I can either open my arms and fully experience the pain, allowing it to do what it does, or I can try to defer the payments for as long as possible.
However, there’s a catch: You can’t defer indefinitely.
The debt will come due, and when it does, it will be paid in the worst possible moment, in the most unpleasant way, and with added interest.

For example, I can either endure the discomfort of going to the gym even when I don’t feel like it, or I can pay it back later with knee pain.
I can sit through my twice a day meditation routine, which by the way some days hurts both phisically and mentally, or I can suffer from constant mental chatter and lack of focus all throughout the day.
I can save for retirement and say ’no’ to many things I want to do and experience, or I can pay it back with the constant worry of financial insecurity.

The pain is always there; the only choice is how and when to pay the debt.