Guest post by Sarah Noel
Living with chronic pain doesn’t mean giving up on joy, movement, or momentum. But it does mean recalibrating how you approach your days, your decisions, and your body’s signals. Some mornings feel impossible. Others might surprise you. The real key is not eliminating pain—it’s reshaping life around what remains possible. Below are strategies that help you do just that, with rhythm and defiance in every step.
Move Even When It Hurts (a Little)
Movement won’t erase pain, but done strategically, it shifts the power dynamic. You 
don’t have to run a marathon. You might start with five minutes of mobility work in your kitchen. The body craves circulation, and even small movements—such as rocking in a chair or walking the hallway—can help blunt the edge of inflammation. Physical therapists are increasingly advocating for strategic exercise for relief, rather than perfection. Start by identifying your “green zone”—motions that feel slightly uncomfortable but not damaging. That’s where your progress lives.
Tame Your Brain’s Alarm System
Pain is not just a body thing—it’s a nervous system thing. And the brain, when inflamed, loves to misfire like a bad car alarm. Enter mindfulness. It’s not about pretending pain isn’t there. It’s about teaching your brain not to panic every time a signal goes off. Research shows that mindfulness meditation eases pain by decoupling sensation from suffering. You’re not failing if you can’t “clear your mind.” The win is noticing a wave of pain, labeling it, breathing through it, and staying where you are. That is power.
Eat to Fight Inflammation, Not Just Feel Full
Food doesn’t have to be your comfort enemy. In fact, certain meals can be your front-line defense. Chronic pain is often fueled by low-grade inflammation—and diet is a massive lever. Start simple. Add colors to your plate. Swap sugar-laced granola for a fat-and-fiber-rich breakfast. Studies have shown that a healthy diet can reduce inflammation across a wide range of pain conditions. You don’t need a perfect kitchen or a private chef. You need ingredients that speak the language of repair.
Recovering From a Collision? Don’t Wing It
Car accidents are a common origin point for persistent pain—especially in the spine 
and neck. But too many people leave the hospital with a vague prescription and zero follow-up. That’s a setup for chronicity. Chiropractors who specialize in post-collision care offer a distinct approach, focusing on alignment, decompression, and nervous system recalibration. If your chronic pain stems from whiplash, misalignment, or soft tissue trauma, take a look at this resource for a deeper understanding of what non-invasive recovery looks like. Don’t settle for “just live with it.” There may be more options than you’ve been told.
Sleep Is Not a Luxury—It’s Ammunition
You’re not lazy. You’re under-recovered. Pain drains your nervous system like a phone
stuck on low power mode. But the hard truth is: pain also disrupts the very sleep you need to restore. This creates a feedback loop that will never fix itself by accident. Intentional sleep hygiene—same wake time, cool room, blackout shades, screens off—isn’t cute advice. It’s survival infrastructure. Experts agree that consistent sleep routines help with pain by calming the central nervous system and reducing sensitivity. Think of rest as a weapon. Use it deliberately.
Let People In Before You Fall Apart
Isolation makes pain louder. You don’t need a dozen close friends or a super spouse. You need one or two people who will sit with you—not fix you. There is no medal for
enduring silently. Opening up doesn’t mean dumping your misery. It means letting someone see the shape of your day. Researchers now confirm that social support improves resilience in measurable, physiological ways. Your nervous system co-regulates with safe humans. Let it.
Train Resilience Like a Muscle
Resilience is not a personality trait. It’s a skill—and like any skill, it can be trained. The key isn’t toughness. It’s adaptability. Pain often triggers rigidity: “If I can’t do things the old way, I won’t do them at all.” That’s the wrong contract. Instead, practice “psychological flexibility”—the ability to shift gears, recalibrate expectations, and still engage meaningfully. Therapies based on Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) have shown how psychological flexibility builds strength in those with chronic pain. The goal isn’t to ignore your pain. It’s to widen the window of what’s still possible inside it.
This is the part people often forget: you can experience joy within a body that hurts. Not fake joy. Not staged gratitude. Real connection, movement, agency. The point of these strategies isn’t to erase pain—it’s to stop letting pain erase you. Reclaiming your life is not a one-time choice. It’s a thousand small rebellions: standing up, reaching out, breathing in, trying again. And tomorrow? You try again.
You can start to discover inspiring stories and practical tips for living your best life at “thisisyourbestyear” – where every year is an opportunity to thrive!
*Dr. Sanjay Gupta, on a segment of CBS Sunday Morning, discusses his new book “It Doesn’t Have to Hurt”. He talks with Jane Pauley about the body’s defenses against pain. It is an interesting discussion where he brings in musician Ed Mowery, who participated in revolutionary surgical treatments.
My husband has chronic back pain, and we found a great pain management doctor. He recommended the Nevro spinal cord stimulator. Here is more information about it. It has helped. Don’t be afraid to try something new.
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