Can we be grateful for pain?

I know- that sounds crazy doesn't it?  This morning I woke up and the muscles from the elbow to the wrist on both of my arms are just aching.  Both pinkies and shoulders are "talking to me" as well.  It made it particularly difficult to do anything with my hair and to stir, stir,stir my steel cut oats for breakfast.    After several weeks of feeling wonderful- how can I be grateful for the pain I am experiencing this morning? 

 

• This is a nagging pain, not a sharp pain. Given the option- I will go with nagging
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• Even though I have pain- I still have movement and use of these joints and muscles and the pain will serve as a reminder not to overdo.
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• Though it came on suddenly- I have not changed my habit so I have several hours in which to medicate and care for myself before I go to work. By 8am it will be manageable.
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• I had two almost completely pain free days prior to this- and they were on a weekend. That means that I didn't spend my two days off dealing with the pain and was able to enjoy them.
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• It is a reminder that not matter what I do or don't do (I did a whole lot of nothing yesterday) it can sneak up on me any time so I can't become complacent in taking care of myself.

 There we go- that gives me five simple reasons to start my day in a grateful mindset.  That is much better than railing against my illnesses and allowing this to start my week in a funk.   It ties back to celebrating the small things from yesterday.  These are all small things-and though I am not celebrating the pain by any stretch of the imagination- they have made a big difference in my mood this morning.