Without changing what you do, your pain will probably remain the same.  Even reading this blog will change little about your pain if everything in your life remains the same. 

How to deal with pain better

Now the 'rules of the game' to get a better life with pain when you read them seem easy:

• Choose a physical activity and do more of it every day.
• Make sure that tension and relaxation are in balance.
• Focus your attention on the beautiful and fun things in life.
• Do things that you find valuable. If you also help others with that, it's a nice bonus. 
• Have patience and keep learning

If only it were that easy. People are full of habits, good and bad, that don't just change. But, we can change! It only helps a lot when we realise that change is difficult. And, that we do change in tiny steps.

How to successfully create habits

One way to change your habits is to make steps that always succeed. But then really in very small steps! The other day I heard from someone who wanted to start running, and in the first few weeks simply set the alarm, put on running clothes and went back to sleep (in her running clothes)! No matter how stupid it sounds, by starting with this step, the step to running became smaller and smaller and eventually she managed to do this regularly. 

And this concept has been proven. We chances of success in creating new habits are greater if we start really small. So, what are your ambitions, and how would your first successful steps look?