For years, I ignored the tightness in my chest every time I thought about certain people, certain moments. I told myself, It’s in the past. I’m fine. But my body knew better. My stomach clenched. My shoulders tensed. My breath got shallow.

Ignoring pain doesn’t make it disappear. It just finds another way to show up—maybe in your body, maybe in your moods, maybe in the way you snap at someone over nothing. Pain doesn’t like being shoved in a box. It leaks out.

I see it all the time—people walking around with old wounds they pretend don’t exist. They think if they don’t look at them, they won’t feel them. But the truth? That pain is already there, already whispering, already pulling strings behind the scenes.

Feeling It to Free It

Here’s what happens when you stop running. You sit down. You let it come. Maybe it’s a memory that still burns. Maybe it’s a regret you try to push away. Maybe it’s something that was done to you that you never deserved.

And it hurts. God, it hurts.

But then something shifts.

Instead of dodging, you face it. You name it. That happened. That hurt me. And instead of feeling powerless, you realize you’re still here. The pain didn’t break you. It only had power because it was hiding in the dark.

Your Body Keeps Score

Ever noticed how some memories hit like a punch to the gut? That’s because pain isn’t just in your head. It’s in your body. It lingers in the tight jaw, the stiff back, the tension headaches.

So when you let yourself feel it—really feel it—your body gets to let go, too. Tears come. A deep sigh. Maybe even shaking. That’s your system releasing what it’s been holding for years. And afterward? You breathe a little easier.

The Other Side of Pain

People think feeling pain will break them, but it’s the opposite. The more you let it move through you, the less control it has. It stops dictating your reactions. It stops making decisions for you.

It stops running the show.

And that’s when healing happens. Not overnight. Not in some big, dramatic moment. But in small shifts—the way your shoulders drop, the way your laughter comes easier, the way you finally, finally feel lighter.

That’s what happens when you face your pain. It stops owning you. And you start living.