Have you ever decided to do something and then found yourself procrastinating, avoiding taking action, or feeling stuck? Maybe you purchased a self-help program you believe will be helpful but haven’t started it. Perhaps you decided that organizing your work or living space will increase your productivity but you’re avoiding clearing the clutter or gathering the ideas/tools to guide you to the best setup. Whatever your situation, you know when you’ve hit a wall of resistance, and while it doesn’t feel good, it can actually give you some important insights.
Two things can be possible when you feel internal resistance within yourself:
- What you are resisting will benefit you and requires you to push through any perceived limitations and inner blocks.
- Your body, soul, instinct, etc. is telling you what you’re setting out to do might not be supportive to you at this time.
So how do you figure out the type of resistance you’re facing? And what do you do with that information?
1) The first step to decision and action is awareness, so you can gain clarity as to what your resistance is really about. Instead of pushing your feelings down, ignoring them, or trying to force them to change, allow yourself to feel and explore them. Notice what comes up for you and take note without judgment or criticism.
2) Ask yourself where this resistance is coming from and what is it about. Allow the feelings that came up in connection to the resistance to be your guide.
- a) Is the source of resistance due to not knowing the next step to take? Fear, worry or doubt that you can do it, or if it will work out for you? If any of your resistance comes from this type of energy, you can learn from it. Whenever we see our blocks or “stuff” it is often an opportunity to shift from negative to a positive way of thinking.
Ask yourself why you have the fear, worry, doubt, etc. Is there proof that it’s true? Are you drawing upon your past perceptions or the perceptions of others? Whether or not we consider ourselves to be “creative” people, we have active imaginations that sometimes come up with all the ways something will be hard or won’t work out for us. This is our ego trying to protect us. Thank your ego for doing its job and let it know you are going to do it anyway with the help of higher consciousness and your intuition.
- b) Is the source of your resistance coming from a feeling, sense, or intuition that something isn’t right for you or supportive for you to do? If so, this type of energy is telling you to re-examine your motives and reasons you think you need, should, or want to do this. Did you at first think it was a good idea but have since changed your mind (or sensed it is no longer a good idea)? Did you set out to do this for someone else because you think it’s what he or she wants you to do or will make them think better of you? Do you know or sense that continuing with your initial decision will drain your energy, health, and happiness or deplete you in some other way? If your answers come from this type of resistance energy, it might be in your best interest to let it go.
3) Once you are clear as to whether your resistance is a sign to push through your blocks or a sign to re-evaluate and redirect, it’s time to tune in, connect to your higher self and ask: What would I do if I knew I couldn’t fail? What is my desired end result if I could only do it right and nothing could stop me?
Then ask: What would the first step be in making that perfectly successful vision happen? Allow your heart to answer these questions. It knows the answers, so be open to receiving the messages and all the possibilities, no matter how “unrealistic” they might seem in the moment.
4) Take that first step! It could be finding the book or resource to learn what you need to know. Maybe it’s reaching out to a contact for help or thinking of who might know the person you need to connect with. Your first action step can be to act as if you are living in the energy of a person who has accomplished something similar to what you want your ideal end result to be. Your action steps may be uncomfortable, and there are no guarantees what will result, but putting into action what you desire is crucial to turning thoughts, dreams, and desires into reality.