---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pain is inevitable, but misery is a choice,"
description: "\"“Pain is inevitable, but misery is a choice,”\" — Catherine Leggitt"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/catherine-leggitt-226420_choice_pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-a-choic_2778656.jpg"
---

#  Pain is inevitable, but misery is a choice,

![“Pain is inevitable, but misery is a choice,” quote by Catherine Leggitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/catherine-leggitt-226420_choice_pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-a-choic_2778656.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/catherine-leggitt-226420_choice_pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-a-choic_2778656.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/catherine-leggitt-226420_choice_pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-a-choic_2778656.jpg)

> ““Pain is inevitable, but misery is a choice,””

[Catherine Leggitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-leggitt/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Pain is unavoidable, but suffering is optional based on mindset.

**In simple terms:** Pain is certain; suffering is a choice.

Key Takeaway

Choose resilience over misery.

Themes

pain choice mindset misery resilience

Mood

empowering calm

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- cognitive therapy
- mindfulness practice
- stress management

Key Concepts

psychology philosophy mental health

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you reframe pain?
- What choices reduce suffering?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify chronic conditions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Inevitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inevitable/) [Inevitable Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inevitable-misery-788879/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Misery Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery-choice-1205547/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pain Inevitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-inevitable-278512/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/)

## Related quotes

> [Pain is inevitable. Misery is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/pain-is-inevitable-misery-is-a-choice/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

> [Problems are inevitable. Misery is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/problems-are-inevitable-misery-is-a-choice/)

[Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/)

> [Pain is inevitable ... but misery is optional ... choose JOY!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hansel/pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-optional-choose-joy/)

[Tim Hansel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hansel/)

> [“Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hansel/pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-optional/)

[Tim Hansel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hansel/)

> [Pain is inevitable ... misery is optional ... choose joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hansel/pain-is-inevitable-misery-is-optional-choose-joy/)

[Tim Hansel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hansel/)

> [Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional. We cannot avoid pain, but we can avoid joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hansel/pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-optional-we-cannot-avoid-pain-but-we/)

[Tim Hansel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hansel/)

> [Pain is inevitable. Misery is optional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-johnson/pain-is-inevitable-misery-is-optional/)

[Barbara Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-johnson/)

> [Pain nourishes courage. You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you. Pain is inevitable. Misery is optional. Physical pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara/pain-nourishes-courage-you-can-t-be-brave-if-you-ve-only-had/)

[Barbara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara/)

> [“We can't avoid pain, but misery is always a choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-s-durbin/we-can-t-avoid-pain-but-misery-is-always-a-choice/)

[Frederic S. Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-s-durbin/)

> [“Pain is an inevitable part when you truly love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-anos-vinsfortin/pain-is-an-inevitable-part-when-you-truly-love/)

[Kevin Anos (Vinsfortin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-anos-vinsfortin/)

> [Pain in life is inevitable but suffering is not. Pain is what the world does to you, suffering is what you do to yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/pain-in-life-is-inevitable-but-suffering-is-not-pain-is-what-the/)

[Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/)

> [pain is inevitable,suffering is optional... we have bigger houses,but smaller families. More conveniences,but less time. We have knowledge,but less judgements; more experts,but more problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/pain-is-inevitable-suffering-is-optional-we-have-bigger-houses-but/)

[Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/)

> [“Pain is inevitable as it is pareof life as pleasure is.It all depends on how you tackle it either with determination or with frustration”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-dinakara-rao/pain-is-inevitable-as-it-is-pareof-life-as-pleasure-is-it-all-depends/)

[P. Dinakara Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-dinakara-rao/)

> [Pain is inevitable. But it doesn't hurt the Soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ces-peta/pain-is-inevitable-but-it-doesn-t-hurt-the-soul/)

[Ces Peta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ces-peta/)

> [Pain is inevitable--suffering is optinal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-mbululo/pain-is-inevitable-suffering-is-optinal/)

[Ally Mbululo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-mbululo/)

## More Choice quotes

> [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/)

[Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/)

> [“That’s all! Now either leave us alone or join us as a father rather than a receiver of sacrifices. You have the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/that-s-all-now-either-leave-us-alone-or-join-us-as-a-father-rather/)

[Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/)

> [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/)

[Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/)

> [“too—I realized that my only hope was to give up the life that had been, in order to make room for the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lesser/too-i-realized-that-my-only-hope-was-to-give-up-the-life-that-had/)

[Elizabeth Lesser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lesser/)

> [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/)

[Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/)

> [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/)

[Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/)

> [I have too many options when it comes to guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-have-too-many-options-when-it-comes-to-guitars/)

[Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/)

> [“Amazing how a small choice can change your life forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-c-dockens/amazing-how-a-small-choice-can-change-your-life-forever/)

[Randy C. Dockens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-c-dockens/)

> [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Since I don't outline my books very much, I feel like sometimes I don't have a choice in what the characters do; they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/since-i-don-t-outline-my-books-very-much-i-feel-like-sometimes-i-don/)

[Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/)

> [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/)

[Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/)

> [Words can only have an effect on you if you choose to listen to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/words-can-only-have-an-effect-on-you-if-you-choose-to-listen-to-them/)

[Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/)

[Browse all 8,092 Choice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Pain is inevitable, but misery is a choice,”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Catherine Leggitt"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-leggitt/pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-a-choice/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Choice"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-leggitt/pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-a-choice/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/catherine-leggitt-226420_choice_pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-a-choic_2778656.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/catherine-leggitt-226420_choice_pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-a-choic_2778656.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/catherine-leggitt-226420_choice_pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-a-choic_2778656.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Pain is inevitable, but misery is a choice,” — Catherine Leggitt",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Catherine Leggitt",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-leggitt/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Pain is inevitable, but misery is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-leggitt/pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-a-choice/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-leggitt/pain-is-inevitable-but-misery-is-a-choice/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
