Thankful for pokes and pain??!!  Am I crazy??  How can one be thankful for stuff that hurts?  I am thankful because I CHOOSE to see them a purposeful.  They show me I have strength of mind to force my hand to push in the needle, when my fear says not to.  They show me that I have courage to make the right choices, even when they seem less fun in the short term.  They remind me that my physical body is not my true self.  That makes me feel powerful!