Don't Waste Your Pain

There is a saying: “Don’t waste your pain”.  

What does it mean to not waste your pain?

For one: loss and pain sensitizes you to the pain of others.  You can use your pain to effectively and sincerely come alongside someone else in pain with real understanding.  It changes you from a sympathizer to an empathizer.

Sympathy is feeling compassion, sorrow, or pity for the hardships that another person encounters, while empathy is putting yourself in the shoes of another, feeling what they feel.  And in my opinion you only really qualify as an empathizer through personal experience. 

Don’t ever underestimate the power of just being there for someone else in pain.  For most people in pain the most valuable take-away and comfort is knowing that someone understands what it is like and validates their pain. Even if our experiences are unique.

The pay-off for you?  Taking the focus off yourself is a healing experience which will bring comfort and peace to your own soul.

-ZellFred