How To Deal With Pain

I created Advanced Style to start a dialogue about aging and to show a positive and uplifting image of getting older. It's equally important to show how older people confront the struggles and difficulties that accompany the aging process. Artist, Ilona Royce Smithkin lifts the spirits of everyone around her. She was kind enough to  share some incredible insight into how she deals with physical pain. We can all learn from her inspiring words below:

Everyday something unexpected happens to our bodies. I fight everyday to get up and out of bed.When I feel a pain somewhere I tell my body, "I'm so nice to you, what do you want from me?" And I tell myself a little story or joke and remind myself of the times when I was in worse pain, and how lucky I am today, and the pain begins to go away. I tell myself that this isn't the first time, or the last time that I will feel pain and begin to occupy my mind with other things. You must get involved in things outside of the pain, things that give you interest. All these things are a part of life. We all feel pain and unpleasantness. As long as I can seduce myself to enjoy all kinds of things, like in the morning enjoying the first cup of coffee, or piece of chocolate the pain begins to diminish. I give myself nice things to look forward to, throughout the day. The moment you give in and let yourself get dragged down by misery you are closer to death.