As we continue celebrating International Book Month, today’s episode is inspired by What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. This month is dedicated to the power of literature and its ability to shed light on the human experience. Murakami’s reflections on running serve as a metaphor for life’s challenges, offering profound insights into how we handle pain and hardship.

Haruki Murakami, born in 1949, is a Japanese author known for his blending of magical realism and deep philosophical musings. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (2007) is a memoir of his experiences as a long-distance runner and writer. The book explores how physical endurance parallels the mental and emotional challenges we all face in life.

In this episode, we explore the distinction between pain and suffering, drawing on Murakami’s wisdom to reflect on how we can process difficult emotions without letting them control us. Pain is often inevitable, but suffering is a choice we make when we resist or avoid processing our pain. This episode encourages listeners to accept pain as part of life’s journey while also learning how to let go of the suffering that can arise from it.

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