If you’ve been dealing with chronic pain, my perspective might be uncomfortable to hear, but it’s important because my perspective on chronic pain shifted when I realized it’s not the pain, but my reaction to it, that keeps me stuck. For most people, the goal is simply to get rid of the pain, to fix it, manage it, and find the right way to finally make it go away.
Prefer to watch? I’ve put my video below or if you’re a reader simply continue reading the post.
The Real Pattern Isn’t Just the Pain
And I get it. Of course you would want that. But what if the real pattern isn’t just the pain itself? What if the key is what happens around the pain?
Pay close attention to this. Every single time the pain shows up, what do you automatically do? Your body likely has a consistent, learned response. You might find yourself doing the following.
- You brace your body.
- You contract your muscles.
- You start thinking about how to stop it.
- You start scanning your body, trying to figure it out and control it.
This reaction makes perfect sense. However, your system is learning from that response. It’s learning that the sensation is something to react to, something to tighten around, something to prepare for, and something to manage.
Why Your Chronic Pain Isn’t What You Think It Is
So, the next time the sensation shows up, your body doesn’t just feel the pain. It also immediately repeats the same protective pattern over and over again. Eventually, that entire pattern becomes automatic. It’s not because you’re doing something wrong, but because your system is incredibly consistent.
Just like confidence is built from repeated positive action, pain patterns are also built from repeated responses. Your body is simply learning through repetition. When you change the pattern, you change what gets reinforced.
How to Interrupt the Pattern and Create a Shift
The real shift doesn’t only come from trying to eliminate the pain. It starts when you interrupt the pattern around it. The next time the pain shows up, can you notice what your body does next? Can you catch the moment you tense up? Can you feel where you start bracing for impact?
Instead of going straight into that automatic reaction, can you allow yourself to relax, even just slightly? Can you stay present with the sensation without immediately trying to fix it? That moment right there, that pause, is where things begin to change. This is where you can begin to break free from self sabotage and other repeating cycles. If you want to learn more about how to do this, you can check the schedule for the next training event on our registration page at this link.
When you do this, you’re no longer reinforcing the same old loop. You are giving your system a different experience, and over time, that builds something entirely new. This change isn’t always instant, although I have seen that happen, but it is consistent.
So instead of asking, “How do I make this go away?” try asking, “What am I repeatedly doing when this shows up?”
Just like confidence is built through repeated action, your body is also learning through repetition. When you change the pattern of your response, you change what gets reinforced in your system. That is where the real, lasting shift truly starts.
