Someone said pain is inevitable but suffering is optional.

yes! love that one.

just getting this. sacrifices can be "rationalized"...so it's tempting to put them above feelings...but i'm beginning to get the meaning of "follow your bliss" and it feels like letting the truth surface instead of "figuring it out" or "making it happen" (which i think my ego took great pride in, in the past).

bingo! I think the truth emerges, surfaces, as you say. And if that;s the case, there's nothing to go looking for 'out there', just impulses to follow from within.

what a timely truism - I can't tell you how many times I ask myself what did I sign up for? What am I doing here? I can only control my attitude about things and it's easier to remain in denial about how bad things really are.

A friend once told me: you don't have to sign up for pain.

Somehow in the wiring of my head, these two meld together nicely -- thanks Danielle for the reminder!

Love this one- Pain is overrated. There is a difference between that good ache that means you worked hard and challenged yourself and the crippling screaming pain that means you were never meant to be doing this.