Life is painful in many ways.  Some of this pain is physical, such as when you injure yourself or become ill.  Some of this pain is mental, such as when you think negatively about yourself or feel ashamed or guilty of some behavior.  Some of this pain is emotional, such as when a loved one is hurt, or you are attacked by someone you care for.

Of course, these sources of pain are not independent of one another.  If you’re hurt emotionally, you can feel physically ill, and certainly think unpleasant thoughts; if you’re hurt physically, you will also feel bad, and your plans for the day or even the rest of your life can take a turn for the worse.

However, when we are hurt, we often fail to differentiate the different sources; and, this can be problematic because it is going to be difficult to fix an emotional problem if it is really a pattern of thinking that is hurting you.  Now, the question is: What are the sources of your pain physically, emotionally, and mentally, and what steps can you take to better identify them and overcome them?

Technorati Tags: challenge question, emotional pain, emotions, feelings, sources of pain