Pain is Inevitable. Suffering is Optional (not sure who said it)

Pain is Inevitable.
​Suffering is optional.
Talk about a bold statement!

​In the midst of being a budding new entrepreneur, my schedule is jaaaaaam packed with all sorts of things that were not necessarily obvious going in: Like the amount of time it takes to maintain a website, market, keep track of all of the money that seems to be bleeding profusely from my bank account, network, update social media, OH- and teach yoga- the whole point of the business! 

Experienced friends and entrepreneurs said to me early on, “Make sure you give yourself days off.” I thought to myself, “Okay, no problem…. sounds good.” Now I kindof giggle when I think about a day off. I don’t think I could do it: 1- because there is so much to do. and 2- because I am passionately wanting to do everything possible to get this business up and off the ground A.S.A.P!

But, I did kinda sorta give myself a couple of hours here and there off. I go to the climbing gym on Tues/Thurs mornings from 6:30-8:30 and I go to my favorite yoga teacher’s class (Dave Farmar- Baptiste Yoga certified) on Monday nights 5:15-6:30.

This last Monday, Dave walked into the super hot studio with about 30 of us yogis and right away told us that this passed weekend a dear friend of his had passed and the phrase that he had been working with was a phrase he learned from his teacher, “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” That was the theme of the class (from my perspective), as we moved from posture to posture sometimes shaking and definitely sweating insanely.

I know that so many people, including some very dear friends and family members in my life, are faced with unimaginable physical pain on a a daily basis that my busy schedule and moderate physical challenges pail in comparison. So I am by no means preaching to anyone. I have been and still am simply pondering this idea that “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” and curious about how it could grace my everyday when a challenge comes up. I am open to the possibility of being able to acknowledge what it is I am feeling in a given moment, while moving forward toward the joy that is possible in the next present moment.