WHAT IS YOUR RESISTANCE TEACHING YOU?
4 STEPS TO UNCOVERING YOUR BRILLIANCE IN BUSINESS AND LIFE
What Is Your Resistance Teaching You?
Article by Eliza Ceci
Photo Credit: Rose Jane
Magazine: Issue #19
In every moment of your day you have a choice. You always have a choice. What if you decided to look at your resistance as part of the process, not just another crappy day?
Resistance is an offering from the universe, and just like anything else, you can take it and use it to learn from, or you can turn the other cheek and complain about the raw deal you’ve been dealt.
Just think back on a time when it felt so much easier to go into the drama of it all. How hurt you were. How mean ‘they’ were to you. How unfair it was. Sometimes it feels good to go there but if you step into that territory for too long it can get ugly and stay ugly. Just because it’s easy doesn’t mean it’ll make you feel good.
Here’s what I recommend you try instead. Look at your resistance with honesty. Breathe into it. Notice it. Take it on a field trip out into the great big world. Hold resistance’s hand. Get familiar with being uncomfortable and ask yourself lots of questions about why it feels uncomfortable, scary, unsafe, or confusing to look at.
1. Set a safe foundation and look at the resistance from a neutral place. Breathe and center yourself. This will help clear your mind as you look at the situation with a fresh perspective. Remind yourself that all you need is the willingness to look at the situation – no action required other than honesty.
2. Ask yourself questions that will help you to get into the honest mindset. Journalling is really helpful, otherwise put a hand on your heart and breathe deep as you ask yourself these or similar questions:
Why is this resistance coming up today?
What am I afraid will happen if things go my way?
What am I afraid I’ll need to let go of or change about myself if I step into this change?
What’s the worst case scenario vs. my best outcome?
3. Create a relationship with your intuition. I teach all of my clients to use their intuition and when they are first learning it’s common to push against the first information they hear because it might be very simple and matter of fact. The first information that comes to you is what you most need to hear. Don’t deny, distrust or brush it off because you think your intuition has ‘bigger’ things to say.
4. Understand that resistance is a necessary part of the process. Resistance is your teacher, your guide, your friend moving you toward your greatest brilliance. The tug of war you feel is coming to the surface because you have the great opportunity to step into the next phase of your learning. If you can get past these feelings, to the other side of why you need to go through it, it becomes easier to come to your own conclusions, ask for support, and take action leading with your heart.