What do you notice often?
We see a world that we expect to see based on our beliefs and prior experiences.
Many notable experiences of pain can result in an expectation of pain in similar circumstances. This is characteristic of chronic pain. Repeated pain, not the same, but similar—nothing can be the same as every moment is different.
This expectation is largely subconscious and to do with how your body systems have learned, and then anticipate what could be coming next in a given environment.
Although you could also be thinking it of course; “this will hurt”.
But you don’t have to be.
Many prior experiences of pain in a particular situation, for example bending, sitting, walking or something else, can make this a reliable explanation for what is happening now. Even if the current biology is essentially saying you are ok.
This weighting towards priors over what is happening now is part of how our predictive systems work.
Understanding this is important because it helps you engage with the practices and the know-how to update these predictions—bring flexibility back into the system to get unstuck.
One way is to start actively looking out for times when you do better than expected or do well with some task. You can also practice looking out for things that bring you joy.
— joy is inside out, not outside in. You generate the feeling of joy top down. It’s not dependent on what’s outside. What or who can you think about that brings the feeling of joy?
We can look at this and many, many more practices, exercises and strategies to help you overcome your pain; aka getting unstuck.
Bringing the good stuff back on your radar and turn the volume up on them.
Read more on my clinics to overcome chronic pain here.