The hidden face of resistance
Have you ever made a powerful decision to change, grow, or do something outside your comfort zone—only to find yourself stuck, exhausted, or spiralling into self-doubt? Me too. What you’re experiencing is the hidden face of resistance. And it’s completely normal (and human!).
Sneaky, sneaky resistance
Resistance is sneaky. It doesn’t always show up waving a red flag. Often, it disguises itself as too many responsibilities, the need to do yet another course or tiredness. It can even show up as a super sneaky “spiritual download” saying the timing ‘isn’t right’. But underneath it all, resistance is your nervous system trying to do its job – keep you safe.
The Nervous System & the Familiar Zone
Whenever we try to do something new, hard, scary, or expansive—our nervous system kicks into gear. It scans for danger and unfamiliarity, and often concludes: “Nope. Let’s not.”
The Ego-mind joins in too. Its job is also to protect you. It wants to be in control (aka stay in the familiar), and it wants to be right (it will defend you when challenged!). It most definitely does not want to stretch. So it starts whispering convincing stories:
- “You’re too tired.”
- “It’s too risky.”
- “You’re not ready yet.”
- “What if it doesn’t work?”
This inner narrative isn’t just mindset—it’s muscle memory. To build muscle at the gym requires choosing to do the hard thing. It requires putting your muscles under tension and stress, and breaking down the muscle fibres before strength is eventually built. Personal growth is the same process. And just like muscles, your nervous system requires time to adapt. It doesn’t happen overnight, but rather, slowly and with consistent practice.
Micro-decisions make the difference
Change is not a one-time decision. It’s a series of micro-decisions, over and over again:
- Not snoozing the alarm.
- Drinking the water.
- Saying no to distractions.
- Doing the hard thing, even when your mind gives you a thousand reasons not to.
Resistance Wears Many Masks
Sometimes resistance is obvious: hitting snooze, social media scrolling, saying “I’ll do it later.” But more often, it’s insidious. Resistance might look like sudden back pain. Emotional overwhelm. Everyone calling you at once. A sudden urge to clean the house (again), picking a fight with your partner, or diving into busywork that ‘feels’ productive, but avoids the real task.
We can get very creative when it comes to avoiding discomfort! And here’s the wild part—resistance is deeply personal. What derails one person might motivate another. There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy.
That’s why self-awareness is key.
Here are 5 ways to work with resistance, rather than being controlled by it:
1. Know Your Resistance Patterns
Start noticing your personal flavor of resistance. Does it come in the form of emotional drama? Physical fatigue? Self-sabotage masked as “self-care”? For me, it can shapeshift—sometimes it’s physical, other times it’s spiritual or social. I’ve had days where I answer back-to-back calls from friends and wonder why I didn’t get any work done. Connection is beautiful—but sometimes it’s also resistance in disguise.
2. Call It Out
Once you know how resistance shows up, name it. Get honest. Say it out loud: “This isn’t about being tired. This is fear dressed up as fatigue.” The moment you name it and claim it, resistance loses its power.
3. Find Your Personal Rhythm
Some people thrive by doing the hard thing first. Others need momentum—small wins that build confidence before tackling the big stuff. There’s no right or wrong way. What matters is finding what works for you and sticking with it. For me personally, my Reiki sessions for myself on Friday mornings give me an energetic and creative boost, so I protect the time afterwards fiercely. I block out distractions in advance, because I know they’ll come knocking.
4. Surround Yourself With Support
Change is hard, and you don’t have to go it alone. Whether it’s a friend, coach, therapist or Reiki healer, surrounding yourself with people who are stretching too makes a world of difference. We all need encouragement and accountability when we’re pushing through discomfort.
5. Regulate Your Nervous System
When your body feels safe, your mind is clearer. Simple nervous system regulation practices like walking, deep breathing, self-Reiki, or meditation can reset your stress response. When regulated and resourced, you’ll be more easily able to conquer resistance, and take action from a calm and grounded place. In stress, the body acts from fear and prioritizes survival. In calm, the body allows for flow, clarity, and courage.
Reiki: Your Secret Weapon for Resistance
Reiki isn’t just energy healing—it’s nervous system regulation, energy hygiene, and emotional clarity rolled into one.
Reiki helps to:
- Calms your nervous system and brings you back into a calm and grounded state.
- Clears your aura and energy field of other people’s emotional “muck.”
- Release your own emotional and energetic blocks so you can move forward with clarity.
- Boosts your mood and energy, and increases your vibration.
- Highlights where resistance is hiding in your system, and can reveal patterns you didn’t even know were there.
- Clears your mind and strengthens your intuition
Reiki clears the fog
Resistance thrives in murky waters. Reiki clears the fog and helps you come home to yourself. From a grounded, regulated, and energetically protected place, your comfort zone stretch becomes manageable. It still takes work! But you’ll meet it with presence and power, not panic and overwhelm.
Ready to shift the resistance?
If you’re navigating a big change, finding yourself stuck in old loops, or just feeling energetically drained by the process, you’re not alone. Book in for a Reiki + Coaching session with me to identify and clear the energetic resistance, regulate your nervous system, and reconnect with your inner strength.
Join one of our upcoming Reiki Courses
Or, if you’re ready to go deeper, join one of my Reiki Courses and empower yourself to take charge of your own energy, emotions and mindset. Start with Reiki Level 1 here (next course coming up on 12th & 13th July!). I’m looking forward to supporting you, and excited for you to experience the magic that Reiki brings.
