Self-Created Suffering Is Optional. Here’s How To Own It

Have YOU ever felt any number of emotions that YOU don’t like and subsequently want to place on others? My guess is that the answer is probably yes as otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this and also it is only human for this to be a natural response. In this world, as it is, we often are blissfully unaware of ourselves. We create an identity or allow others to create one for us and without thinking just accept it. This is all well and good until we begin to emotionally suffer, due to (initially), what we can only place on external influences.
First of all, it is important to understand, pain is pain and not the same as suffering. Suffering is what you experience after a painful event. Choosing how long we hold on to this is within our control and ultimately suffering is entirely optional.Sometimes we get caught up in our own suffering by revisiting a painful memory and retriggering the whole process every time we do so.Based on my own experiences these influences can range from other’s perceptions and behaviour to past traumas, right up to the sickness and death of a loved one. Now let me be clear here – I’m not saying we need to be emotionless in events that move us but what I AM saying is that it is all too easy to get sucked into a looping pit of despair rather than feel these emotions fully and then accept them for what they are.Once we can accept we can lovingly send these thoughts and emotions on their way when we have taken what we need to from them and moved into a somewhat blissful state of acceptance.Now personally, I have really struggled with understanding emotions and working with them rather than against them – perhaps you may resonate with this also? This brings me back to the original topic though – SELF-CREATED SUFFERING IS OPTIONAL!!!If we truly understand that we cannot CONTROL anything yet we know we CAN INFLUENCE both our internal and external worlds by experimenting with our thought process….. then all of a sudden we seem to have more control! Have more control by accepting you have no control… well there is a paradox for you to suffer over???By James Scade