The StoWicks Conversations
by
Carolyn and Seth Wicks
Today's Key Points:
- Pain Is Common, But Not Normal.
- Your Body Reflects How Well It’s Supported
- Responsibility Prevents Unnecessary Suffering
Carolyn: I remember when I turned 30 and people would often say, “Oh, you’re in it now — just wait until all the aches and pains start,” or joke, “Have your knees gone out yet?” I would laugh and smile, but I always found it strange how casually we joke about pain as we age, like it’s expected.
Almost like a rite of passage: add a decade and suddenly your body is supposed to start breaking down. But it’s worth rethinking that assumption. Just because something is common doesn’t mean it’s normal, and accepting pain as inevitable comes at a higher price than most people realize.
Seth: Pain is your body giving you feedback. It’s not something to ignore, and it’s not something that should be considered normal. Pain is a signal, pointing to weakness, inflammation, or imbalance somewhere in the system.
If you have joint pain, it’s often because the muscles meant to support that joint are weak. If your recovery is slow or inconsistent, there’s a good chance your body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs to repair itself. And if you’re constantly stiff and achy, it’s likely the result of a lifestyle that doesn’t move enough.
Listening to pain isn’t weakness. It’s the first step toward taking responsibility for your body and eliminating what’s holding it back.
Carolyn: To Seth’s point, life is busy. Work, kids, schedules, stress, and when something finally does slow us down, like an injury or illness, food often becomes about convenience, not support. We reach for whatever is quickest to quiet hunger, not what actually helps the body recover.
That’s partly because nutrition has been framed as a weight-loss strategy or a New Year’s resolution, instead of what it really is: a daily input that determines how you feel in your body. Energy levels, inflammation, soreness, and resilience come from what you consistently give your body.
When most of your intake comes from processed, low-quality food, your body adapts the best it can...but that isn’t the same as repairing. Skipping meals, under-eating, or relying on nutrient-poor options lowers your body’s capacity to handle stress. Support it properly and you'll see the difference.
Seth: Something that really drives me up a wall is when people use age as an excuse for pain. To me, there’s a difference between necessary suffering and unnecessary suffering.
Necessary suffering is discomfort you choose in pursuit of growth, virtue, or responsibility. Unnecessary suffering is pain you tolerate because of neglect, avoidance, or denial. One builds you, while the other slowly takes from you.
I know we’ve been talking more about parenting lately, but I keep coming back to the same question: what example am I setting for our son? One of comfort, ease, and avoidance? Or one of discipline, strength, and meaning?
I don’t want him to learn that pain is something you explain away with age. I want him to learn that responsibility starts with your own body, and that choosing the hard thing now is often what prevents suffering later. And going beyond that, shouldn't I want that for myself? Shouldn't you?
Carolyn: I think about movement the same way I think about eating well, getting sunlight, or taking supplements. It’s a non-negotiable, it’s something I do because I know what happens when I don’t.
Moving my body keeps my joints supported and my muscles doing their job. It reminds my nervous system that I’m capable and strong. When I move regularly, I feel better, I recover better, and I trust my body more.
I’m not saying to work out when you’re sick or injured, but I am saying to move consistently so you lower your risk of getting there in the first place. Movement is preventative, it’s what the body was designed for. Humans have always moved because life required it for survival.
Staying strong and mobile lets you keep doing the things you want to do. It builds confidence and maintains capability. You don’t suddenly feel old because of a birthday, you feel old when you stop moving.
Seth: That may be one of the most strongly held beliefs I have: Aging has less to do with actual age, and more to do with one's lifestyle and choices.
If you're in pain right now, it's time to starting asking yourself what can be done to fix it, not live with it. Society will tell you it's normal, but normal doesn't mean acceptable. Let’s stop following the crowd and start taking responsibility for how we feel in our own bodies.
Carolyn: Notice how your body feels after the foods you eat most often. More energy? More sluggish? More inflammation? Let that feedback guide a choice towards meals that prioritize real, nourishing food and notice how your body feels afterward.
Seth: Today, write down the pains you’re currently feeling, both physical or mental. Then choose one small action you can take this week to start addressing each one.
Both: As with all things, you have a choice to make. Live with the pain, or live without it. We made our choice, now make yours.
See you next week,
Carolyn & Seth
The StoWicks
Quote of the Week:
"No man is free who is not master of himself."
Epictetus
