Yes, I started this thread hoping to learn ways to simply keep myself motivated to accept the pain instead of trying to reduce it.

The funny thing about that sentence is that pain generally becomes stronger when you "try to reduce it" and weaker when you accept it being there.

Before a rather helpful suggestion in this forum, my original plan for a routine was to start with 1 each of a selected set of exercises: jumping jacks, toe-touches, push-ups, etc; then add 1 to each every day, with a goal of 30.

That sound like a goal that might fit into the beeminder format. I don't know if the chance of losing money motivates you, but it is at least a possibility.