5 Reasons Why You Have To Accept Pain To Be Happy

Happiness and pain can seem like contradictory and incompatible terms. But is it possible to be happy in the midst of pain ? Accepting pain is not only possible in the pursuit of happiness, it is necessary.

In reality, happiness does not mean an absence of pain. In fact, true happiness stays in the midst of pain. The point is not to avoid the pain we feel or to minimize its impact on our life, which is both deeply beautiful and painful. You cannot have one without the other.

Happiness is contagious, even in the midst of pain

Happiness is a contagious state of being in any circumstance. This has very little to do with our circumstances and is directly related to the way we think about our lives and what is happening around us.

The fact that happiness is contagious is not just a pleasant thought, but it is a chemical process that takes place in our brain, thanks to mirror neurons.

When we see someone who is experiencing an emotion, our brain “tests” the same emotion, imagining what the other person is going through. You do this by trying to fire in your own brain the same synapses that can be related to the emotions you are identifying. This, which is basically empathy, is also how we get the mindset of the crowd.

Each time these synapses fire, the brain remodels. This is why it is so important to spend time with people who are capable of being in a good mood, who radiate joy, and why pessimists and grumpy people should be avoided. But this is only the first step. Accepting pain still involves a series of questions that need to be analyzed.

Why accepting pain will help you be happier

The benefits of happiness are undeniable. For example, it can help us live a longer, healthier life. But the truth is that many people have no idea how to be happier. In fact, some people’s pursuits for happiness backfire, in part because they are based on avoiding and eliminating pain in their lives.

But we have already commented that happiness is much more than the absence of pain.  Pain is actually a necessary part of happiness. In fact, research shows that it can lead to pleasure in a number of ways. Here’s why.

1 – Pain helps to recognize pleasure

Happiness as a state of mind is a matter of contrasts. If you were happy all the time, you could not recognize that state as happiness. Sometimes it is necessary to experience the opposite end of the spectrum to be able to recognize and appreciate true happiness.

This does not mean that there has to be an absence of pain to recognize pleasure, but that , despite pain, whatever type it may be, it is possible to appreciate and enjoy small details that might otherwise go unnoticed.

2-Pain relief increases pleasure

Pain is not pleasant, but pain relief is. Studies show that when pain disappears, happiness is increased, above and beyond the level of happiness that would be experienced if pain had not been felt.

This also accentuates the fact that simple and simple things can be valued more and bring more happiness when you are going through a painful process, which also increases the feeling of gratitude. In addition, pleasure also becomes something much deeper and more lasting, something more than a physical sensation.

3 – Pain strengthens social ties

Pain nurtures empathy. That is why people turn to those who are going through a difficult process, such as the death of a loved one or a serious illness. This social connection that is born of pain increases cooperation and brings out the best of people.

Thanks to this, overcoming pain is easier and strengthens those relationships, creating connections that go much further. In this sense, pain helps you get to know people and discover the good in them, something that will still be there when the storm has passed.

4 – Enduring pain will earn you a reward

Getting through a difficult situation makes you feel worthy of a reward earned for your effort. The “what” is not what is important in this case, but what matters is feeling that one has overcome adversity, that he has overcome himself.

In reality, it is the overcoming and having known how to overcome what is the true reward, which can be reflected in anything simple whose role is, in reality, to make us more aware of the effort.

5 – Pain makes you aware

Pain makes you aware of what is happening at this moment, makes you live in the moment. It may not seem like that, but being aware is a skill directly related to happiness.

Being aware of what they are experiencing will make you forget superficial issues to focus on what really matters. This way you avoid worrying about things that have no solution or feeling anguish due to the uncertainty of not knowing what will happen tomorrow. Learning to stay in the moment, even when you are not in pain, can help you have a happier life.