When in doubt, don’t… or do… that is the question. Is that nagging voice your friend yet or is it fueling your resistance, slowing your progress to the finish line?
In the past several weeks, in between my journeys and pivots, I have written about befriending doubt and procrastination. This morning I want to talk to you about resistance. I have been sitting again in the comfy chair, game in hand and boob tube blaring away, putting off a deep dive into the edits I need to do on finished drafts. I’ve resisted transcribing recordings for a new project and am fighting off the urge to just start something new because that’s, quite frankly, more fun.
Ahhhhhh… Resistance… the inner dance between my aspiration and those whispers of doubt sprinkled with my propensity to procrastinate. Don’t I have some great companions? Doubt keeps me questioning and not moving forward. Procrastination keeps me in that comfy chair and not moving forward. Add in a whisper from Resistance to stall any forward momentum and guess where my day goes? Nowhere.
It is time for me to make friends with Resistance, this entity that seeks to shield me from the unfamiliar, keep me in my comfort zone (or overstuffed chair), and never quite across the finish line.
How about I embark on a journey to befriend Resistance right along with my budding relationships with Doubt and Procrastination? It is time to see it not as an enemy, but as another ally, a guide that helps me along the ever-winding path of self-discovery and personal growth. I think I shall picture Resistance as a wise old wizard, top hat covered with stars (my dreams and aspirations). He will be my cautious mentor rather than fence builder, one that adds to that extra thought but does not halt my creative process.
As I travel the road I’ve mapped out to the finish line of a new project, a cherished goal, or an exciting new adventure, I will use my friend Resistance as a compass that helps me navigate the uncharted waters of the journey. This new ally will remind me when to pause, to reflect and to consider the choices I am making.
Like a gentle nudge from the Universe, Resistance will now encourage me to ask, “Is this project truly aligned with my values? Am I chasing it for the right reasons or am I in “it’s expected of me” or “for someone else” mode?
I am going to ask Resistance to help me refine my intentions and clarify the path ahead at each fork in the road. It will become my personal trainer and just as muscles at the gym frow by encountering resistance in exercise, I will develop the “muscles” of my determination and resilience, allowing them to flourish in each new “session” with Resistance spotting me as I lift the weights of doubt and hesitation cultivating a deeper understanding of my own capabilities.
With practice comes perfection. I will acknowledge this new “coach” in my world without judging it for its past actions on my behalf. I will remember that when Resistance makes its presence known, I must ask what it is trying to tell me. Most of all, I must remember to LISTEN, to invite Resistance to sit with me at the computer and engage in a heartfelt conversation.
If Resistance, like Doubt and Procrastination, knows my dreams, my aspirations and my fears, each can chime in with their perspectives as collaborative partners in my adventures, instead of mind-boggling, attention-grabbing adversaries.
I heard this from Resistance as I was writing this morning…”I am the one who teaches you patience, allowing your dream (the goal), to ripen like the fruit on a tree rather than forcing you across a finish line with an immature harvest.”
That Ah-ha moment today cracked the code on my resistance to the editing process I have been procrastinating through as truly, I now realize that the “fruit” of that project was plucked pre-maturely and needs time to ripen on the shelf. It is coming…
I can see Resistance now as a wonderful ally, a wisdom keeper, a bridge rather than a barrier that connects my vision to my reality.
Here’s some food for your thoughts…
- Could Resistance become a sacred tool in your life rather than an obstacle along your path?
- Might you embrace Resistance as a partner in your quest for growth?
- Will you allow Resistance to become a guide along your path? One that is not just about getting you across the finish line, but about embracing your own insights and transformation that come with the journey.
I am looking forward to dancing in a harmonious rhythm with Resistance rather than sitting on the sidelines and watching it take over my game.
I will reflect on the insights I gain in my conversations with Resistance as I move forward in whatever endeavor I am engaged in completing.
I will continually redefine my intentions, so they remain in alignment with my goals and aspirations.
I will remember that this new relationship involves negotiation and compromise as I make plans and take action to complete them.
I will revel in the accomplishment of small steps knowing that each one is part of the whole journey.
I will retain the vision and make room for revisions knowing that often my own resistance is just me knowing that something needs to change.
In this endeavor, I recognize that befriending Resistance is a journey, not a destination. It is a dynamic and evolving relationship that is here for me to grow with as it offers invaluable insights and helps propel me forward on this path of not just writing, but of personal and spiritual growth.
As August comes to an end and the kids and grandkids go back to school, may you all carve out some time on your calendars to have a conversation with Resistance and remember to keep an eye out for these unlikely guides along the way.
Saddling up for Happy Trails ahead…
***
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Vicki Dobbs is a bold and adventurous warrior walking a path of heart to manifest spirituality in everyday lives. She opens existential gateways for individuals to face their challenges and embrace these tests as the great teachers that they are.
Her goal is to see everyone walk in beauty and balance every day of their lives empowered by the voice of their own authentic truth.
Through Wisdom Evolution and Sacred Wisdom Workshops, Vicki creates opportunities for others to make deep personal changes through experiential classes, ceremony, sacred art and story. She endeavors to inspire others to create their lives intentionally. Vicki is an Inspirator of everyday awareness, an Instigator of spontaneous stories and a Connoisseur of Creativity. Gratitude and grace sprinkled with humility and humor are the medicine she brings to the world.
As an Elder, Teacher and Entrepreneur, Spiritual Coach, Ordained Minister and Crafter of Sacred Art and Tools, Vicki perceives life’s journey as an ever-upward spiraling ascension of the human spirit leading her to wisdom, wholeness and authenticity.
Her experience includes being trained in the Harner Method of Shamanic Counseling and the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition of Cross Cultural Shamanism. She is a Graduate Teacher and Mentor with the Lynn Andrews Center For Sacred Arts and Training and has been the Administrator and Writers Guide for Writing Spirit, the School.
Vicki is also an Artist of the Spirit Certified Spiritual and Energetic Life Coach, a Graduate Mentor in the AoS program and a founding member of HeatherAsh Amara’s Warrior Goddess Leadership Team and Facilitator of the Warrior Heart Practice.
Connect with Vicki here on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vickildobbsauthor
