10 Quotes to Inspire and Guide Those Living with Chronic Pain

Living with chronic pain isn’t easy. The many ways we adjust to life with chronic pain become second nature, although the aches and inflammation are ever demanding. The good news is, life is giving and we can find inspiration all around us to keep hope alive and move forward.

Here are some quotes – from well-known authors to real-life chronic pain sufferers who have shared their stories with To Better Days – to inspire and guide those with a chronic illness.

Chronic Pain Quotes for When You Need…

…Encouragement

• “I’m not perfect, but if there are any points given for caring about people with every fiber of your being and giving life all you’ve got every day, then I suppose I have a shot.” – Jack Welch, business executive

Living with a painful condition is hard, but when the people we care about need us, it’s a bit more encouraging to get up every day – to be the parent or partner or friend that life calls us to be. Being optimistic within these relationships and through our pain points to just how strong we are. 

• “Time is not a cure for chronic pain, but it can be crucial for improvement. It takes time to change, to recover and to make progress.” – Mel Pohl, author of A Day without Pain

Progress and recovery look different for everyone – and giving yourself time to heal both physically and emotionally is crucial. Remember to be gentle and patient with yourself, and to be proud of every step you take forward, no matter how small.

• “Back pain really affects your lifestyle, but there are also things you can do to relieve your pain, and those are worth looking into too.” – Daniel, To Better Days customer

Living with pain means that we are always making adjustments to improve the quality of life. Sure, you may have grown used to your routine of pain management, but if there is something new that can help relieve your pain then it’s worth your while to try it. Take it from Daniel, who recently tried To Better Days Active Patches and found they helped him.

…Guidance

• “I’ve always felt a huge connection to the earth and have witnessed the side effects of Western medicine, where patients sometimes take as many meds for their meds’ side effects as they do for their actual problems.” – Carole, To Better Days customer

Managing chronic pain often includes medication. Before you know it, you’re taking new meds for the side effects of your original meds. Carole reminds us that natural medicine can also be effective in treating an affected area. 

• “Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there’s got to be a way through it.” – Michael J. Fox, actor

For example, your tennis elbow may not keep you off the court forever. If it’s physical therapy that could help, then that’s worth trying. 

• “If you have some kind of pain, speak to somebody about it. You might be able to find support and they might be able to share their knowledge and advice about how to protect your body.” – Calvin, To Better Days customer

Sometimes our instinct tells us to keep our pain to ourselves. After all, we’ve been living with it for so long, what could be done about it now? You never know what information someone might have that could help you to heal, whether you’re looking for emotional support or tips for tendonitis pain relief. Speaking up could help you find the support system you need, whether it be emotional or physical.

…Strength

• “We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.” – Carlos Castaneda, author

It may take a great deal of effort to hold your chin up some days, but finding something to smile about will warm your soul and motivate you to keep moving forward.

• “You just do it. You force yourself to get up. You force yourself to put one foot before the other and you refuse to let it get to you. You fight. You cry. Then you go about the business of living. That’s how I’ve done it. There’s no other way.” – Elizabeth Taylor, actress

On the days that it takes an hour to get out of bed, we may grit our teeth just to do it. It doesn’t have to look pretty. What’s important is that we do it. 

• “I had learned quickly that life doesn’t always go the way I want it to, and that’s okay. I still plod on.” – Sarah Todd Hammer, author

Life looks a little bit different for everyone, especially for those of us living with chronic pain. We make adjustments to cope with our pain, as needed – and that’s okay! Your life doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. 

• “You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.” – Bob Marley, musician

Our pain shows us many things: our resiliency, our ability to stay optimistic and the incredible reach of our emotional and physical strength. When we really need to dig down and find our strength, it is always there for us, time and again. 

If chronic pain is bogging you down, refresh yourself with a look at these quotes. Remember that you are not alone in your pain and solutions are out there. Keep plodding on, as Sarah Todd Hammer does. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to keep going.