<p><strong>It's said, pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. But, is that true? </strong>Many of us live our lives in pursuit of certainty, believing that if we could just get things more <strong>stable - </strong>emotionally, financially, relationally - then we’d finally feel at ease. We wouldn't struggle with anxiety, stress, and fear. we wouldn't suffer so much. Problem is, that approach often deepens our suffering, rather than relieves it. Maybe you've felt this very thing.</p><br><p>In this powerful episode on healing and resilience and how to relieve suffering, Jonathan sits down with Dr. Suzan Song, a Harvard- and Stanford-trained psychiatrist and humanitarian researcher. Dr. Song has spent decades working with individuals and communities living through profound instability, revealing a gentler, more honest reframe: healing, lessening suffering, doesn’t come from chasing certainty and stability, but from learning how to relate differently to the inevitability of pain, uncertainty, and change.</p><br><p>In this conversation, discover:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Why <strong>pain</strong> is inevitable, but <strong>suffering</strong> often grows from the stories we tell.</li><li>The hidden role of our nervous system and memory in shaping our experience of hardship.</li><li>The power of <strong>ritual</strong>—not as performance, but as a path to emotional grounding and <strong>resilience</strong>.</li><li>What <strong>purpose</strong> really is, and why it’s often already present, woven into our lives through mattering.</li><li>How genuine <strong>healing</strong> happens in relationship, not in isolation, transforming our approach to <strong>mental health</strong>.</li></ul><p><br></p><p>This is an invitation to stop blaming yourself for not feeling satisfied, let go of suffering, and remember that you don’t have to navigate life’s instabilities alone. Sometimes, relief comes not from doing more, but from allowing yourself to feel everything, then learn how to live with the truth of uncertainty in a world that will never stop changing.</p><br><p>You can find Suzan at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.suzansong.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Website</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzansong/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Linkedin</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goodlifeproject.com/podcast/suzan-song-suffering-healing-resilience" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Episode Transcript</a></p><br><p><strong>If you LOVED this episode, </strong>you’ll also love the conversations we had with&nbsp;<a href="https://pod.link/goodlifeproject/episode/Z2lkOi8vYXJ0MTktZXBpc29kZS1sb2NhdG9yL1YwL1ZlNWEyUVkwODFoT3ZEdEZCb1pZeWRtZExHTHhOX0pRMVAwXzJ6TG8xQm8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Adam Grant</a>&nbsp;about rethinking beliefs and inner patterns.</p><br><p><strong>Check out our offerings &amp; partners:&nbsp;</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Join My New Writing Project:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://jonathanfields.substack.com/about" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Awake at the Wheel</strong></a></li><li><a href="https://www.goodlifeproject.com/sponsors/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Visit Our Sponsor Page For Great Resources &amp; Discount Codes</a></li></ul><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>