Many musicians, artists, comedians and other creative types will tell you they hold onto their emotional pain, that it’s necessary to keep their edge. Perhaps they’re overlooking the vastness of their sources of inspiration.

Being in pain or great suffering can cause us to withdraw from the world, to be alone with whatever is inside of us, and as a result we might emerge with great art. Then we conclude that it was the pain that caused us to create, rather than the other magic that was within our souls all along.

Likewise, many of us tell stories about our pain. We might say that we are somehow honouring the love that we once felt by continuing with heartbreak. Or that we are comfortable in pain. Or that we must maintain our bitterness to avoid being hurt again.

All of these stories can turn to a new chapter, today, when we make the decision.

For the transcript: Stories of Pain A Beautiful Thought