Meeting resistance
We’ve all been met with resistance at one point in our lives or another! It’s the moment first thing in the morning when it’s cold and dark, and you’re trying to convince yourself to go to the gym… Or the moment that you know you ‘should’ eat something healthy, but instead opt for junk food or toast (again). Resistance is the excuses, the shiny thing syndrome, the imposter syndrome, procrastination, negative self talk, and more.
What exactly is resistance?
Resistance is the block we feel when we are choosing between the hard and the easy thing. It’s the difference between lifting a 1kg weight, vs a 30kg weight. If you keep lifting 1kg weights, it’s easy, we don’t break a sweat. But to lift 30kg, that takes effort, grunt, sweat and a strong mindset. When lifting heavy weight, we are actually breaking down and tearing our muscle fibres. Ideally then we give ourselves a rest to allow our muscles to recover and grow stronger, so that next time we are more capable of lifting the heavier weight. That in turn leads to growth, learning, development, and expansion.
What is the block?
The block that we feel when meeting resistance is often our Ego-mind. Our Ego doesn’t like change, it doesn’t like to exert effort, and it naturally leans towards what is familiar, because ‘familiar’ equals safety. It also wants to be right, and hates to be proven wrong. When the Ego-mind knows what to expect, it knows what to do. When it knows what to do, it requires much less effort. The Ego says ‘perfect, less effort means less energy, which means I can remain in a safe, comfortable place for longer. And when you do try something new, it is scary and unsafe, you will probably fail, and then I will say I told you so’.
Ego-Mind is based in fear
Our Ego is always trying to protect us from threatening situations. The problem is, in our western modern day society, threats are not tigers and lions anymore. They are deadlines, society pressure, judgements, financial commitments and relationship fears. Ego is all about safety, separation and individualisation, and is based in fear.
Higher Self comes from love
On the other hand, we have our Higher Self, which is the highest aspect of us. This is the part of us that is all-loving and united, that wants the best for ourselves and the people around us, and with it, we can align with our divinity and spiritual truth. Our Higher Self says ‘I see you Ego, and I love you. You are a part of me, and I accept you for who you are. AND I will also be brave and try new things, because I have a higher vision and know I’m destined for more. And when I grow, I can better serve the people and world around me too.’
We are multidimensional beings
It can take a lot of energy, conscious awareness and courage to follow your Higher Self, rather than Ego. As always, we are multifaceted, multidimensional human beings, and there will be a time and place for both. In order to know what to do and who to follow in times of resistance, first we must understand more about its different functionalities.
Physical resistance
Resistance can be felt on all levels: physical, emotional, mental, and even spiritual and energetic. Whenever we are about to level up, try something different, and better ourselves in some way, we might meet physical resistance. This could be aches and body pains, it could be fatigue and exhaustion, or nervous system overstimulation. You might feel nausea or sick to the stomach, have headaches or migraines, or other random physical challenges. It could be DOMS after a heavy workout (delayed onset of muscle soreness!). Physical resistance can also be felt externally, such as in your bank account, challenges with your house or car, or even the people around you.
Emotional resistance
Emotional resistance might be in the form of anxiety, shame, worry and stress. It could be fighting with your partner or colleague, feeling negative and heavy all the time, or randomly crying without understanding why. You might even have nervous breakdowns or panic attacks.
Mental resistance
Mental resistance could be depression, brain fog, or being entirely overwhelmed and panicking. It can include constant negative thought patterns or loops, procrastination, having shiny thing syndrome or negative beliefs such as ‘I’m not enough, I don’t belong, I’m unlovable, I don’t deserve it’. Mental resistance includes all the justifications and excuses to keep yourself in the same place, without having to do more or try new things. Mental resistance leads to emotional resistance, which can then lead to physical resistance and feeling it in your body. If you sit in resistance for an extended period of time, it can even lead to illness and dis-ease.
Spiritual and energetic resistance
There is also spiritual and energetic resistance. This can be in the form of psychic attacks, negative spiritual influences, mischievous spirits, or ‘evil eye’ negative energy. These can come from other people, from negative spiritual entities, and even your own mind! You might experience nightmares, hot flushes, extreme fatigue for no apparent reason, feel sick in your gut, or simply don’t feel like yourself. Energy resistance can also feed mental, emotional and physical resistance too.
What to do when feeling resistance?
Having some solid strategies anytime you meet resistance is the key to not getting sucked into a negative state of mind and victim mode. Here are some tools to help:
1. Acknowledge the resistance
Acknowledge the resistance, call it out, and understand that it’s normal to feel this way when you are levelling up! The greater the level up, the more resistance you will generally feel. Take your time, and acknowledge exactly what you are feeling in resistance.
2. Anchor yourself to safety
Our Ego kicks up a stink whenever it doesn’t feel safe. So before jumping off the cliff, first we must anchor to something rock solid. You might have safety anchors such as meditation, a particular teddy bear or some other material item, or your family and friends. You could hire a coach or a Reiki healer to support and guide you through. This way, you can calm your nervous system, clear your mind, and steady yourself to take the next big step.
3. Trust in yourself and the Universe
Having strong beliefs is imperative whenever you are levelling up. Beliefs like ‘I’m not enough, this is hard, I’m not lovable,’ etc are holding you back. We have the power to change our mind and our beliefs. It can help to write down all your current beliefs so you see them on paper. Then write down your new beliefs, such as ‘everything is always working in my favour, the Universe is supporting me, I trust in my higher power, I am more than capable’. Then acknowledge your old beliefs as they got you to where you are now, then tear them up with gratitude and release them (into your bin)! They are now in the past and it’s time to uplevel up your mind in order to level up your life.
4. Celebrate your wins
Every small step you take towards change, give yourself an inner high five. Celebrate all the small wins, as each time you do this, you are correlating these progressions forward with something positive. Slowly over time, you will anchor yourself to the expanded version of you. As you do this, the higher version of you will feel more comfortable and safe, and you won’t want to go back to the old version. As you build momentum, your Ego and nervous system will slowly regulate, and your zone of tolerance for change will increase.
Book in for Reiki healing
If this resonates with you, and you are looking for someone to support and guide you on your journey, book in for a Reiki + Coaching session with me! Everyone needs support, myself included. Anytime I’ve signed up with a coach or received healing, it quantum leaps my progress and I don’t spend so much time bogged down in the muck. If you’re ready to dive in and learn more, book in for a Reiki Course! You can read more about Reiki Courses here. If you have questions, contact me here, I’d love to hear from you!
