Pain, often perceived as a deterrent, paradoxically fosters growth.
New insights are generated in our attempts to avoid discomfort. Pain, compels, preventative, actions, which, which spurs us to novel actions and behaviors.
Embracing pain as a feedback mechanism, although seemingly masochistic, can generate positive results: a resilience to low-grade discomfort could prevent long-term pain. This shifts the adversarial relationship into an alliance, if kept in check with specific goals.
In our more therapeutic culture, pain, avoidance, is seen as self-care, but it also promotes self indulgence as procrastination. The inability to make a short term ally of discomfort leads to long-term painful consequences in terms of self-worth and reliability.