Sharing Resources to Help You Grow Personally, Professionally & Financially

Sometimes it helps to get a little dose of encouragement—along with a good cup of coffee!—to start the day. Today we discuss "pain".

Hopefully, the message below will help you get off to a good start for the week. Please feel free to forward the newsletter along to others who you think would benefit from the content.

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Pain

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Pain is Part of the Deal — And That’s Not a Bad Thing

Let’s be real: if you're alive, you're going to experience pain. Full stop. That’s not negativity — it’s reality. Life isn’t a curated Instagram reel. It’s a complex, messy, beautiful experience with highs that take your breath away and lows that knock the wind out of you.

And believe it or not, that’s a good thing.

Without pain, joy loses its edge. If everything were always smooth and perfect, eventually even the best moments would start to feel... flat. The contrast is what gives depth to our experiences. We need the storm to appreciate the calm.

Think about it: that deep belly laugh with friends feels richer after a season of loneliness. The ordinary moments — coffee in the morning, your kid’s unexpected hug, a silent walk with someone you love — can feel extraordinary when you’ve recently come through something hard.

Pain isn't something we sign up for, and it's definitely not comfortable. But it’s a teacher. A recalibrator. A spotlight on the areas of our life we often overlook until they’re gone or shaken.

And when framed with a broader perspective — whether that’s spiritual, philosophical, or just personal growth — pain can lose some of its sharp edges. I’ve seen this most powerfully in people facing terminal illness. Somehow, amid the hardest moments, many carry a sense of peace, even gratitude. Their pain sits right next to their hope — and that hope carries them.

That brings me to this week’s question:

• Are you using pain in your life to increase your awareness of the blessings that you have?

Thanks for sharing a bit of your time with me this Monday morning.

Have a great week!
Curt

 

About MMM: Each week I publish “Monday Morning Motivation” in the hopes that one person will find a bit of inspiration and that inspiration will have a positive impact on their life. My motivation comes from experiences, reading, sermons, and discussions.

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Blog post from this past week:

Monday Morning Motivation - Half