Crossing A Bridge Over Today's Pain To Reach The Promise Of A Better Tomorrow Together
Greetings *|FNAME|*,
I certainly don't like to dwell on the negative, especially here. But I've just got to say it: I'm ready for this pain to be over! It's so hard to put on a brave face as I soldier on through a shingles flare-up that's covered my face and threatened my eyesight. Or when that flare-up starts right after pulling my back muscle during physical therapy. Or while dealing with the relentless muscle/joint aches from the immunotherapy drug Keytruda. As a result of all this, I'm thinking a lot about pain. And it also makes me think about the motivation to eliminate it.
Because pain comes in many, many forms. Physical pain, emotional pain, and psychological pain are all equally terrible. Most of us dislike pain, and we try to resolve any pain we experience as quickly as possible. I don't know anyone who doesn't appreciate comfort. But the more painful we grow, the more desperate our resolve grows. So much so, that it's sometimes nearly impossible to remember that pain is not really the root problem or condition. It's just a surface symptom or indicator of something wrong at a deeper level.
Motivation can be characterized as your dissatisfaction with some event or circumstance, coupled with the effort you will expend to become satisfied by making that pain go away. Simply put, the difference between one type of dissatisfaction and another type of satisfaction. For example, I personally don't like taking medication to eliminate pain. Never have. But the incessant back pain, nerve pain, and shingles are all extremely painful right now. Therefore, I am very motivated to reduce and/or eliminate these symptoms and am throwing the kitchen sink at the situation, including nutrition, exercise, acupuncture... and yes, even temporary medication. Even though I'm not thrilled about it.
In performance improvement terms, dissatisfaction = discomfort or pain of some kind. It's essentially a gap between current and desired satisfaction. Instructional designers use needs assessment to identify the gaps in results. These are termed the problems, which are then used to determine causal factors so that the underlying problem may be resolved. In trainings, we develop new skills in learners to address the "pain," because their success will lead to satisfaction and greater capacity across the enterprise. This is ultimately about fixing problems, not simply alleviating symptoms.
Dealing with incessant pain of any kind isn't easy, though. Change by Design has worked on projects, including several with the Florida Department of Children and Families, whose learners witness incredible pain first hand. That can be uncomfortable for some, and downright traumatic for others. Whether you are a family member in a dysfunctional home suffering from PTSD, or a case worker juggling their own personal demons while trying to help others, it all hurts bad. Sometimes it's just touch-and-go... one day at a time, one hour at a time, even one moment at a time. But pain is truly just the symptom, no matter how intense. And relief is right on the horizon as we go down the road of healing.
I thought that the end of radiation treatments would mean some return to normal daily schedules, but those expectations are on hold for now. I have to focus on what I can do in the moment, and nothing else. Which at night sometimes means sleeping for an hour on the floor, another 2 hours on the recliner, another hour on the couch, and two hours on my bed. Needless to say, there's a lot of sleep acrobatics in our home at the moment.
You and I are each dealing with our own personal pain, whatever it might be. Although it might range in amplitude and duration, that suffering is a common thread we share. So one of the best ways we can all address the pain is through social affiliation. If you are struggling right now, consider how to take a 30-minute siesta. If you can, spend that time away from your pain, talking with someone you love or appreciate about something that excites or thrills you. Connect with what and who you are passionate about, especially in this moment of suffering. Don't aspire to do long-range things. Deal with the now, and be happy with it. It is good enough, and it will help. Because this too shall pass!
Painfully yours,
Sue
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PS: We found out (after the fact) that last month's newsletter had a link on the "Continue Reading Blog Article" button which contained a coding typo. If you clicked on the image, you reached the correct article on our website, but if you clicked the button you faced an error. Apologies for this mistake, and here is a corrected link to last month's featured blog article for anyone unable to reach it in March.
