"When in Doubt, Nap:" 64 Inspirational Quotes from Chronic Pain Sufferers
The Daily Migraine Blog
April 2014
I asked 64 Chronic Pain sufferers to offer up their best advice to help the millions of us who have chronic pain ourselves. Why? Because it takes a village. I just marvel at how people who have pain, often excruciating, day after day, hour after hour, can see the beauty and hope in life -- and even in their painful conditions. I was so moved by their pearls of wisdom. I know you will be too.
1. It's Ok if all you did today was breathe. -- L.J.
2. Play great music loud and dance like nobody is watching. It helps you forget for a little while and may even make you smile. -- K.R.
3. One day at a time...on a bad day it's the hardest to have faith, and that's when you need it the most...on the bad days try and think of one positive thing -- it could carry you all day!!! Positivity can move mountains!!! -- A.Y.
4. Pay attention to the small things that help, because when you have enough small things, it adds up to a lot of help. -- A.J.
5. One of my favourites will probably be a tattoo: ?HOPE - hold on pain ends? -- J.I.E.
6. The will to never.....never quit. -- K.R.
7. Pain might hamper my body, but my mind is more powerful. -- S.J.
8. Rejoice in little conquests. A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step. 22 years of steps. - R.A.
9. Chronic pain humbles you. The good day is dull pain the best day is none. -- S.V.
10. If you can't use your body to do interesting things like sports or gardening, use your mind to learn, play, or create. -- J.H.J.
11. I've learned not to get too far ahead of myself, either on relatively good days or bad ones. One day at a time - sometimes five minutes at a time. If I start projecting into the future, I'm sunk. Mindfulness meditation really does help to keep the pain pushed back so that I can function. I recommend it highly. --J.R.
12. It's OK and even healthy to have a "pity party" from time to time. Heck go buy some balloons for it! It gets bad when you stay in it. Do something nice for yourself. -- C.N.
13. My advice after many, many years is to not let others make you stressed out. Get rid of those that stress you out! This is hard but it is harder on you and your disease to be stressed! Live minute to minute if you have to but do not EVER give up! -- C. G.
14. "It's not the end of the world, it's just the end of the day.? Never give up. Stay strong -- C.H.
15. When you feel like giving up just find one thing in the near future to look forward to. It can be the smallest thing, just find something. Then repeat as many times as needed. -- J.D.
16. Years ago I had a tee shirt that read "pain is weakness leaving the body." I now know whoever wrote that snappy quote hadn't a clue. -- P.B.M.
17. One day at a time. There is always hope and prayer. -- M.A.R.
18. Always remember tomorrow is a new day! -- C.A.H
19. If I am in pain, I go to bed and say it will be better when I wake up. -- D.B.
20. I tell myself I can do something when I'm not sure at all, and then I shove the pain away to a lockbox and try, try, try !!! -- M.H.
21. After explaining your condition to a person one time, never apologize for your limitations! We did not ask for this, what do we have to be sorry for?!! -- S.S.B.
22. "With pain comes strength." I never knew how strong I was until I encountered chronic pain. -- J.B.G.
23. Enjoy the good days and cherish them forever. -- H.H.
24. Saying to someone with chronic severe pain, that they should ?try this OTC/natural/unregulated/new/cure-all treatment for your pain!? is like an infant trying to give Michael Jordan tips on his basketball game. -- A.O.C.
25. There's no risk-free choice with pain, including choosing to do nothing; untreated and under-treated chronic pain has many risks that must be considered when weighing out the risks & benefits for all treatment plans. -- A.O.C.
26. "Pain is patience's best teacher" -- A.O.C.
27. Go back to the simple pleasures and focus on them: a child's smile, love from family, friends and animals. Find yours and think about that during the pain, but also accept that it's okay to be in pain and take the time you need to figure it out. -- C.H.
28. Stop telling me others are worse off than me and I should try harder. Don?t you think I'm already doing my best!!! Why would I WANT to use a wheelchair or walker?? I?m going as fast as I can with the pain. Please stop comparing me to others. All I can be is me ? V.S.
29. Anger and sadness about your chronic pain is normal and inevitable. It is important to experience them, and then make a conscious choice to find ways to move beyond the negative emotions and embrace joy and contentment. Some of the suffering from chronic pain comes not just from the pain, but from depression. Do things to make your brain and body feel good. Try to find reasons to laugh, spend time with good friends, throw yourself into hobbies, go outdoors to breathe fresh air, and try to exercise, even if it is just five minutes of walking and gentle stretching a day. -- M.D.G.
30. If it were this easy to "just get over" chronic pain, nobody would ever suffer from it. I totally do not understand how people can nonchalantly brush off how utterly debilitating, painful, and agonizing it is to have to struggle through every second of every single day.
I think it speaks volumes to their character when someone can dismiss another's pain as if they were swatting a fly off their shoulder. Chronic Pain cannot be dismissed. The burdens and black clouds that hang over our heads cannot just be cleared or moved over. It takes incredible strength and resilience to walk through the darkness not knowing if you'll get to the other side where the light is.
We all do it every single second of every day. For some, the light comes much faster than for others. -- Marni Kyle (poet)
31. Get help and support from wherever you can. Make sure that you are comfortable with your doctor. I've changed three times this year and now I have one that is great. You just have to push through it every day that you can. Find friends that understand. -- K.S.G.
32. Lots of rest -- K.R.D
33. Don't give up. You ARE NOT alone. -- V.R.H.
34. The biggest thing that helped me was to grieve the person I was before chronic pain set in. I think it's important to be able to move forward. --C.S.
35. Don't try to be superhuman. Pain is your body?s way of saying "slow down, look after me." Listen to your body. Not your mind. The only one you're trying to prove yourself to, is yourself. -- T.D.B.
36. Pain is not always harm! -- B.T.
37. Lots of ice. -- J.V.
38. Never give up. There are a million reasons not to give up and none to give up.
Smile, and don't lose your happiness. Only you can control whether you?re happy or sad. -- J.B.
39. Each day is a struggle. You fight your family, friends, doctors who don't believe you, strangers who judge you and worst of all your own body. The most important thing to know is don't give up and don't stop fighting! -- L.T.
40. "You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have." That one always helps me realize how far I've come and that I've made it through some tough stuff. -- S.C.
41. Pain is the enemy and you are a warrior. Don't let pain win. -- T.D.W.
42. Read and learn from the best, and make sure you get the right treatment. -- A.F.
43. Being hilarious when you describe your systems helps. People get all uncomfortable around sick people, but everybody loves the funny guy. --B.R.F.
44. Stay as active as possible even though you think you just can't do it. The stronger you keep your body, all the better to control the pain. -- B.C.
45. I do believe I do believe I do believe. -- C.B.G.
46. Get your #Anxiety #Sleep and #Anger under control. -- H.L.
47. Love yourself. -- C.L.
48. Acceptance is crucial for one's sanity. Accept that some days we can't meet our goals all the way & that others may not understand our pain. Then things will become manageable. -- D.L.
49. Pain will come and go. Life is constant! Don't let something that shows up every now and then run the big show! -- M.S.W.
50. Be inspired by your pain and know that every single day you grow stronger and stronger. -- J.B.
51. Focus on life; not pain. -- K.S.
52. After diagnosis the first step would be to find a reputable pain management doctor. It will take some time and a bit of hit and miss with medications, but once you and your doc have found the right mix, most of your days will become manageable.-- K.M.T.
53. Pain always changes you. It depends which way you go. Either you develop adamant faith or you become a crying baby. -- L.K.
54. Get outside in nature. Socialize. Stay busy and don't think about your pains and troubles too much. Try to find a pain med that helps you. -- M.G.H.
55. My quote: "Quit moving and die, or keep on moving and own it." -- M.G.
56. Even though I am Broken, My Heart is untamed. -- M.F.
57. Pain is the schoolmaster to strength! -- R.S.
58. When you feel like giving up, just think about all the friends and family that you would hurt, just because you hurt. --S.V.
59. Only you can prevent forest fires. Only you. -- T.G.
60. This too shall pass. I remember this during pain to help me cope; I remember it on good days so I enjoy and appreciate the relief I have. -- D.H.
61. When you need someone to listen and understand, come and vent in a chronic pain support group. Just let it all out! -- S.H.
62. Each day is a struggle. You fight your family, friends, doctors who don't believe you, strangers who judge you and worst of all your own body. The most important thing to know is don't give up and don't stop fighting! -- L.T.
63. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:10 -- K.F.
64. When in doubt, nap. -- S.S.
The Daily Migraine Blog
April 2014
I asked 64 Chronic Pain sufferers to offer up their best advice to help the millions of us who have chronic pain ourselves. Why? Because it takes a village. I just marvel at how people who have pain, often excruciating, day after day, hour after hour, can see the beauty and hope in life -- and even in their painful conditions. I was so moved by their pearls of wisdom. I know you will be too.
1. It's Ok if all you did today was breathe. -- L.J.
2. Play great music loud and dance like nobody is watching. It helps you forget for a little while and may even make you smile. -- K.R.
3. One day at a time...on a bad day it's the hardest to have faith, and that's when you need it the most...on the bad days try and think of one positive thing -- it could carry you all day!!! Positivity can move mountains!!! -- A.Y.
4. Pay attention to the small things that help, because when you have enough small things, it adds up to a lot of help. -- A.J.
5. One of my favourites will probably be a tattoo: ?HOPE - hold on pain ends? -- J.I.E.
6. The will to never.....never quit. -- K.R.
7. Pain might hamper my body, but my mind is more powerful. -- S.J.
8. Rejoice in little conquests. A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step. 22 years of steps. - R.A.
9. Chronic pain humbles you. The good day is dull pain the best day is none. -- S.V.
10. If you can't use your body to do interesting things like sports or gardening, use your mind to learn, play, or create. -- J.H.J.
11. I've learned not to get too far ahead of myself, either on relatively good days or bad ones. One day at a time - sometimes five minutes at a time. If I start projecting into the future, I'm sunk. Mindfulness meditation really does help to keep the pain pushed back so that I can function. I recommend it highly. --J.R.
12. It's OK and even healthy to have a "pity party" from time to time. Heck go buy some balloons for it! It gets bad when you stay in it. Do something nice for yourself. -- C.N.
13. My advice after many, many years is to not let others make you stressed out. Get rid of those that stress you out! This is hard but it is harder on you and your disease to be stressed! Live minute to minute if you have to but do not EVER give up! -- C. G.
14. "It's not the end of the world, it's just the end of the day.? Never give up. Stay strong -- C.H.
15. When you feel like giving up just find one thing in the near future to look forward to. It can be the smallest thing, just find something. Then repeat as many times as needed. -- J.D.
16. Years ago I had a tee shirt that read "pain is weakness leaving the body." I now know whoever wrote that snappy quote hadn't a clue. -- P.B.M.
17. One day at a time. There is always hope and prayer. -- M.A.R.
18. Always remember tomorrow is a new day! -- C.A.H
19. If I am in pain, I go to bed and say it will be better when I wake up. -- D.B.
20. I tell myself I can do something when I'm not sure at all, and then I shove the pain away to a lockbox and try, try, try !!! -- M.H.
21. After explaining your condition to a person one time, never apologize for your limitations! We did not ask for this, what do we have to be sorry for?!! -- S.S.B.
22. "With pain comes strength." I never knew how strong I was until I encountered chronic pain. -- J.B.G.
23. Enjoy the good days and cherish them forever. -- H.H.
24. Saying to someone with chronic severe pain, that they should ?try this OTC/natural/unregulated/new/cure-all treatment for your pain!? is like an infant trying to give Michael Jordan tips on his basketball game. -- A.O.C.
25. There's no risk-free choice with pain, including choosing to do nothing; untreated and under-treated chronic pain has many risks that must be considered when weighing out the risks & benefits for all treatment plans. -- A.O.C.
26. "Pain is patience's best teacher" -- A.O.C.
27. Go back to the simple pleasures and focus on them: a child's smile, love from family, friends and animals. Find yours and think about that during the pain, but also accept that it's okay to be in pain and take the time you need to figure it out. -- C.H.
28. Stop telling me others are worse off than me and I should try harder. Don?t you think I'm already doing my best!!! Why would I WANT to use a wheelchair or walker?? I?m going as fast as I can with the pain. Please stop comparing me to others. All I can be is me ? V.S.
29. Anger and sadness about your chronic pain is normal and inevitable. It is important to experience them, and then make a conscious choice to find ways to move beyond the negative emotions and embrace joy and contentment. Some of the suffering from chronic pain comes not just from the pain, but from depression. Do things to make your brain and body feel good. Try to find reasons to laugh, spend time with good friends, throw yourself into hobbies, go outdoors to breathe fresh air, and try to exercise, even if it is just five minutes of walking and gentle stretching a day. -- M.D.G.
30. If it were this easy to "just get over" chronic pain, nobody would ever suffer from it. I totally do not understand how people can nonchalantly brush off how utterly debilitating, painful, and agonizing it is to have to struggle through every second of every single day.
I think it speaks volumes to their character when someone can dismiss another's pain as if they were swatting a fly off their shoulder. Chronic Pain cannot be dismissed. The burdens and black clouds that hang over our heads cannot just be cleared or moved over. It takes incredible strength and resilience to walk through the darkness not knowing if you'll get to the other side where the light is.
We all do it every single second of every day. For some, the light comes much faster than for others. -- Marni Kyle (poet)
31. Get help and support from wherever you can. Make sure that you are comfortable with your doctor. I've changed three times this year and now I have one that is great. You just have to push through it every day that you can. Find friends that understand. -- K.S.G.
32. Lots of rest -- K.R.D
33. Don't give up. You ARE NOT alone. -- V.R.H.
34. The biggest thing that helped me was to grieve the person I was before chronic pain set in. I think it's important to be able to move forward. --C.S.
35. Don't try to be superhuman. Pain is your body?s way of saying "slow down, look after me." Listen to your body. Not your mind. The only one you're trying to prove yourself to, is yourself. -- T.D.B.
36. Pain is not always harm! -- B.T.
37. Lots of ice. -- J.V.
38. Never give up. There are a million reasons not to give up and none to give up.
Smile, and don't lose your happiness. Only you can control whether you?re happy or sad. -- J.B.
39. Each day is a struggle. You fight your family, friends, doctors who don't believe you, strangers who judge you and worst of all your own body. The most important thing to know is don't give up and don't stop fighting! -- L.T.
40. "You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have." That one always helps me realize how far I've come and that I've made it through some tough stuff. -- S.C.
41. Pain is the enemy and you are a warrior. Don't let pain win. -- T.D.W.
42. Read and learn from the best, and make sure you get the right treatment. -- A.F.
43. Being hilarious when you describe your systems helps. People get all uncomfortable around sick people, but everybody loves the funny guy. --B.R.F.
44. Stay as active as possible even though you think you just can't do it. The stronger you keep your body, all the better to control the pain. -- B.C.
45. I do believe I do believe I do believe. -- C.B.G.
46. Get your #Anxiety #Sleep and #Anger under control. -- H.L.
47. Love yourself. -- C.L.
48. Acceptance is crucial for one's sanity. Accept that some days we can't meet our goals all the way & that others may not understand our pain. Then things will become manageable. -- D.L.
49. Pain will come and go. Life is constant! Don't let something that shows up every now and then run the big show! -- M.S.W.
50. Be inspired by your pain and know that every single day you grow stronger and stronger. -- J.B.
51. Focus on life; not pain. -- K.S.
52. After diagnosis the first step would be to find a reputable pain management doctor. It will take some time and a bit of hit and miss with medications, but once you and your doc have found the right mix, most of your days will become manageable.-- K.M.T.
53. Pain always changes you. It depends which way you go. Either you develop adamant faith or you become a crying baby. -- L.K.
54. Get outside in nature. Socialize. Stay busy and don't think about your pains and troubles too much. Try to find a pain med that helps you. -- M.G.H.
55. My quote: "Quit moving and die, or keep on moving and own it." -- M.G.
56. Even though I am Broken, My Heart is untamed. -- M.F.
57. Pain is the schoolmaster to strength! -- R.S.
58. When you feel like giving up, just think about all the friends and family that you would hurt, just because you hurt. --S.V.
59. Only you can prevent forest fires. Only you. -- T.G.
60. This too shall pass. I remember this during pain to help me cope; I remember it on good days so I enjoy and appreciate the relief I have. -- D.H.
61. When you need someone to listen and understand, come and vent in a chronic pain support group. Just let it all out! -- S.H.
62. Each day is a struggle. You fight your family, friends, doctors who don't believe you, strangers who judge you and worst of all your own body. The most important thing to know is don't give up and don't stop fighting! -- L.T.
63. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:10 -- K.F.
64. When in doubt, nap. -- S.S.
