Are you like many bariatric surgery clients I coach? You have chronic pain. Or maybe you are like me and haven’t had the surgery but still contend with weight gain and chronic pain.

I have learned to make chronic pain my “friend”. Not my best friend, but we are sure as heck acquainted as I am in contact every day!

Powerful Tips to increase your “Life Satisfaction”:

Learn how to focus your character strengths away from the pain or discomfort by actively utilizing:

• Bravery - Remind yourself that you are resilient. You live everyday and need to celebrate all you can and do accomplish.
• Kindness – Do something kind or say something kind to someone else. Don’t focus on yourself.
• Humor - Watch a funny TV show, get onto the Internet and watch funny YouTube videos, or read a joke book.

If you feel anxious or depressed, put energy into these strengths.

• Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence – Use your 5 senses. Savoring what you see, touch, smell, hear, and taste. But be careful with the taste one. That can be dangerous for you needless to say! Put on your ipod or listen to music in anyway you love. You will feel better and will be engagingly distracted.
• Love of Learning – Scout out the Internet or an old book that you loved and dig into it again. Have fun with challenging crossword puzzles, mazes, word searches, and Sudoko if you really want a brain-bender. Just get your brain cells firing.

You don’t need to suffer. Stop and hone in on what you can do. You are courageous and resourceful. Keep on truckin’.