Chandra Eden, The True Me Yogi

READ MORE BLOG POSTS HERE

Mindset Mastery

Author: David de las Morenas

"We all experience suffering in our day-to-day lives. We get fired, get dumped, get sick, and go through a lot of other BS that causes us pain. How we deal with this pain directly determines how happy, productive, and successful we are in life.

Frankl noted that the concentration camp prisoners who found meaning in their suffering were more likely to show compassion, be happy, and ultimately survive. And the same holds true today: people who are able to find meaning in their suffering are more likely to navigate past it, and prevent it from ruining their lives."

Your Suffering Isn't Special, But What You Do With It Can Be

Let’s get one thing straight: life, on occasion, will serve you a steaming hot plate of garbage. It’s the universal human experience. You’ll get fired from a job you kind of liked. You’ll get ghosted by someone you were drafting imaginary wedding invitations with. You’ll stub your toe, get the flu, and realize your favorite show was canceled—all in the same afternoon.

We all suffer. We get dumped, lose opportunities, get sick, and navigate a near-constant stream of BS that causes real pain. This isn’t a controversial take. But here’s the part we often miss while we’re busy wallowing: how you handle that pain determines pretty much everything else.

There's this guy, Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust. He observed something incredible in the concentration camps. The prisoners who managed to find some kind of meaning in their unimaginable suffering were the ones who held onto their humanity. They were more likely to be compassionate, to feel a sense of purpose, and ultimately, to survive.

Now, your terrible Tuesday is not a concentration camp. Let’s not be dramatic. But the principle holds true on a smaller, more relatable scale. The people who find a way to make their suffering mean something are the ones who get past it instead of letting it become their entire personality.

Turning Your Everyday Garbage into Gold

Think about the modern-day "sufferings" we endure. Your boss just "restructured" you out of a job. Your side hustle, the one you poured your soul into, flopped harder than a fish on pavement. You got into a week-long Instagram comment war with a stranger over the proper way to cook pasta.

The default reaction is to feel wronged. To complain. To curl up and binge-watch a show about emotionally stable people living in oversized apartments you could never afford. And that’s fine, for a day. But staying there is a trap.

The alternative? You find the meaning.

Getting fired doesn’t just have to be a failure. It can be the universe’s not-so-subtle push to finally escape a career path you were lukewarm about. That humiliating breakup? Maybe it’s the wake-up call you needed to figure out what you actually want in a partner instead of just settling for someone who thinks "bread-crumbing" is a legitimate communication style. That failed business venture? It just became your real-world MBA in what not to do. You paid for the lesson in sleepless nights and ramen noodles.

This isn’t about pretending the pain doesn’t exist. It’s not toxic positivity. It’s about reframing the narrative. Pain is just raw data. It’s up to you to interpret it.

How to Find Meaning When Everything Feels Meaningless

Finding meaning isn’t some mystical quest. It’s a choice, and it’s surprisingly practical.

1. Ask, "What can this teach me?" Instead of "Why is this happening to me?", switch the question. Getting laid off could teach you that your identity isn't your job title. Getting your heart stomped on can teach you the importance of your own friendship. Every setback is a potential lesson, but you have to be willing to be the student.

2. Find the Story. Humans are storytelling creatures. The story you tell yourself about your suffering matters. Is it "I'm a victim who always gets screwed over"? Or is it, "This was the brutal but necessary chapter that forced me to become stronger/smarter/more resilient"? You are the author. Write a better story.

3. Use it to Connect. Misery loves company, but not in a whiny, unproductive way. When you’ve been through something, you can help others navigate it. Your experience with anxiety, job loss, or public failure isn’t a mark of shame; it’s your entry ticket to a club of people who get it. Use your pain as a bridge, not a wall.

Frankl’s point wasn’t that suffering is good. It’s not. It’s that even in the worst circumstances, we have one final freedom: the power to choose our attitude. We can choose to let our pain break us, or we can choose to find a purpose within it.

So the next time life hands you that plate of hot garbage, feel free to complain for a minute. Then, pick up a fork and see if you can find something nourishing in the mess. It might just be the most important meal you ever have.