Somehow, this movie \”Reign of Fire\” became a classic cult movie, and one of my favorites! If you\’ve seen it, obviously without the dragons it might have been pretty dull and boring! While thinking about the movie and some of the scenes and imagery, I began to think about how we manage and/or feel pain. I want you to consider this…

Our traumatic experiences from the past can definitely trigger us and cause pain in our present. Like the dragons in the movie, this pain can be all consuming, burning our every thought and dream (on the inside) and literally killing us… if we let it. We use all types of coping mechanisms and distractions to block that fire from getting to the outside… where other people can see.

By using these distractions and mechanisms (some positive, some negative) you might even think you\’ve \”killed the dragon inside\”, and yet the entire time, it\’s not the dragon you needed to slay OR there is typically more than one dragon that needs slain!

I\’d like to offer you these reframed thoughts around pain – first, as stated in one of the images in the beginning of this post, pain is meant to be felt. Use it, embrace it, feel it, go through it. Instead of letting the pain burn you away slowly, use the pain as fuel to the fire that pushes you to grow, to learn, to get out of the comfort zone! Also, as the image says with the cover art of this post, have H.O.P.E. (Hang On Pain Ends) because pain is temporary. While it feels like it will last forever, the good thing is that pain does not last forever!

So how do you \”slay the dragon\” you ask? Well, like our heroes in the movie, you must come face to face with that dragon (pain). You have to confront it head on, no hiding, nowhere to run. Right in front of it, even when it\’s the scariest thing you\’ve ever done – and know that you\’re not alone! It\’s easier to defeat that dragon when you have help… 3 against 1 is always better than trying to fight this dragon alone!! Find that support you need to face those inner dragons! Use that pain to fuel the greatness that\’s inside of you! YOU GOT THIS!!