The Promise of Pain

No Pain, No Gain!

That quote is always a fun one to consider.

How hard do I push myself before it causes me so much pain I can't continue???

That has been the question I have considered for the last (nearly) 2 months since a leg injury changed my life in an instant.

Having a controlled program for inflicting the good kind of pain - that is the secret to success!

For 11 days, I have joyfully experienced some of the most wonderful pain I can recall, as I have pushed my body once the doctors allowed me to begin bringing the pain to have all the gains.

I finally, gratefully, excitedly got to begin Physical Therapy (PT) on August 31, after 7 weeks in a leg immobilizer brace, which did not allow me to bend my knee even one little bit, it felt like absolute freedom to graduate to the hinge brace, forcing the achy bend of my surgically repaired knee.

FINALLY out of the immobilizer and into a hinge brace!

Surgeon and Physical Therapists were surprised by my attack of the pain, since I had been prepped by all of my peers that PT is a torturous endeavor, I had meditated hourly for 49 days of pure immobilization, while staring at the ceiling fan in my bed, and made a Promise that I would thoroughly enjoy the process of leaning into the pain of PT once it began.??

It has been incredibly freeing to have the program, know the steps to take, how far to push, how much to hold back, and receive the green light from the pros as to how to heal my body ASAP.

This is a process that can't be cheated.

All I have to do is inflict a good kind of pain.

You either do the program and see results, or you don't, and you literally can't fool the body or therapist the following week, as you will be unable to get to the next level on a weekly basis if you don't do this process fully.

The Promise is simply to show up for yourself every single day and never miss.

The Promise of consistency.

Don't Forget Your Promise!?That is perhaps the main key to every Promise you ever make.

What would you be willing to do, that would cause you literal pain, in order to gain freedom, success, progression and full function once again???

This metaphor of going through the good pain of PT has changed the way I think about daily tasks, the pain of doing the hard work first, and then doing the easy stuff later.??

I am so grateful for all I have learned as a patient of a major surgery.?It has opened my eyes to my tendencies of procrastination, my habits of doing the easy things first, cramming for the last minute exam or project, when all I had to do was a little bit each day to find the greatest success.

What one thing in your life could you Promise today that you will suffer a good pain in order to see freedom and joy in the next month, year, or decade?

One thing!?Do it today!?And then again tomorrow!?Keep track, have an accountability partner, and remember: Don't Forget Your Promise!?

I'm headed back to the yoga mat.

~ Jason Hewlett

Husband, Father, Writer, Mentor, Hiker

• Speaker Hall of Fame * Award-Winning Entertainer * Promise Legacy Project Coach
• World’s Only Keynote Speaker utilizing entertainment, musical impressions, and comedy to Create Legendary Leadership through the Power of Commitment
• Author of?“The Promise To The One”

jasonhewlett.com