I heard this story some years back so it may not be the original version yet it makes a point.
One day as a grandson and grandfather were hanging out on the porch, the grandfather's dog began to cry, bark and moan. Neither the grandfather nor the dog did anything to remedy the situation. After several minutes of the grandson observing this he asked the grandfather, "what's wrong with your dog". Very calmly the grandfather replied, "he's laying on a nail". His grandson then asked, "why doesn't he get up"? The grandfather replied, cause it don't hurt bad enough.
This is true in life for humans as well. We under estimate our ability to take responsibility for our life situations and make things different.
If you can identify with at least one of the following sources of your pain, you might be closer than you think to a breakthrough!
1.) You are not open to a different perspective about your situation. You are determined to be right about your viewpoint.
2.) You are unwilling to ask for or receive support, training or information that could interrupt the suffering cycle.
3.) You complain about what is going on, do nothing and expect it to all work out or be different.
4.) You start to make adjustments and some of the pain starts going away. This has you stop and settle into a new level of comfort since it doesn't feel as urgent to stay on task or implement the plan.
5.) You claim you don't know what or how to do what you need to do to move through your current situation.
6.) You don't have a plan of action to accomplish a different result.
7.) You have a plan but don't take any action.
8.) Your life is a series of distractions, addictions, cons and games.
9.) You are very practiced at making excuses, telling stories or creating drama as an additional distraction and avoidance of taking responsibility for what you say you want.
10.) Just like the dog laying on the nail, it don't hurt bad enough for you to do anything about it!
You can make a choice right here, right now to get up off the nails in your life or you can stay where you are.
When you make your pain PERSONAL, PERMANENT or PERVASIVE this has you dependent on others to rescue or enable you to stay the same. There is no personal power or growth in expecting someone else to change your situation. You are hostage in your suffering to the degree that you do not take responsibility. Entitlement does not now nor will it ever equal empowerment.
Pain can turn into PLEASURE, POWER and PASSION when you are willing to do whatever it takes to empower, stretch and expand your skills, capacity and ability to handle whatever comes up in your life. No one can take this away from you. You awaken to a higher version of yourself and you are unstoppable. Your energy, joy and happiness are restored and you are truly creating a life you love.
