But I've known a lot of suffering people who weren't growing in any way. Some adult survivors of abuse have felt victimized all of their lives and never tried to heal their wounds. An acquaintance developed cancer and, even when she went into complete remission, used it as an excuse not to participate in life. I knew an accident victim who felt entitled to not have to take responsibility for herself. Many emotionally wounded people inflict pain on others as a way to get momentary release from it.

Many people who are abandoned, rejected, can't pay the bills, have chronic health problems, or are emotionally hurting, descend into a cycle of anger, resentment or despair that's difficult to climb out of. If we're overwhelmed by events out of our control, it can cause us to use up our mental and emotional resources to deal with the immediate problem. We may feel that we can't handle any more, snap at those dear to us, and can become self-involved and self-pitying.

Suffering isn't the same as sadness. Grief is an appropriate response to the loss of something dear to us. But eventually, our mourning passes, reduces or diminishes. However, there are some people who wallow in sadness and don't move beyond it.

So I don't believe that suffering, in and of itself, causes people to grow. As with anything else, how it affects us depends on how we perceive it. We need to be willing to seek the meaning in it. Although we might not be able to control events, we do have complete control over the way we think about them. Sometimes pain pushes us to quit trying to control our environment and to give up control to the Universe. Instead of trying to make the outcome fit our picture, we release and let the Infinite manage our affairs.

Many times, our resisting letting go of something that has outlived its usefulness or not moving forward causes anguish. When we oppose growth, then we create a resistance with the Universe. The intent of the Universe is to expand. By not letting ourselves grow, we create pain and suffering. There is a saying in the fitness industry "no pain, no gain." I disagree. If we're having pain, then we're probably resisting growth, or we could be trying to move forward too quickly. Just like the pain of an overworked muscle.

If we're trying to push through something, it may be that other things are at work behind the scenes, and it's not time for the goal to come through, as hard as it is to accept that. Don't try to "white knuckle" it and force it to happen. That will only create more resistance and pressure. Visualize the desired outcome and ask for the next step to be revealed.

There are times when all we can do is endure a difficult period, wait for things to improve and find something good in the situation. I remember hearing someone say, "Every challenge brings a gift." When we seek meaning and the benefit from the circumstances, we will find them. Usually, there's some message for us that we can absorb and use as a building block.

Many years ago, I had a friend who decided to erase the old idea that we only learn from problems. She set her intention to learn her lessons with joy instead of suffering and it worked for her. Recently, I've been following her example and working on letting things flow easily and harmoniously. As a result, several small miracles have occurred.

Answer: If you're saying them in a droning voice, you could actually be putting yourself into a mild hypnotic state by the tone and way you say them. Also, anything you do often, by routine, and don't think much about, will do that. In that state, the subconscious is actually more receptive to the statements.

Also, it could be that the statements are delivered too fast. If there's little space between the statements, your mind could be getting overloaded with the data and will start to shut down to try to process it. It's like you're eating too fast and your mind can't digest what's being said. You need time to wrap your mind around what they say, mean, and feel their accomplishment. Your feeling is what will power them.

I believe that whenever we're going through a difficult period, or even when things are going well, we should stay in touch with the basics of our spiritual philosophy. Too many times, I've heard people say, "I'm way beyond that," but their lives don't reflect that they've really absorbed it. So, in addition to reading recent writings on the law of attraction, intention, how to manifest, etc., I believe we should also keep returning to the original sources of the current wisdom.