We were completely broke. Our home was destroyed, and I had no idea what was going to happen next.
Living in the age of drive-thrus, high-speed internet, and instant everything we have become accustomed to getting what we want, fast. When it comes to climbing the corporate ladder or building the business of our dreams it’s no wonder that it’s no different. Nine times out of ten, when faced with the proposition of forging our own way or simply downloading the next get rich quick strategy, the strategy wins every time.
Who needs to utilize their precious time and energy to go through the trials of transformation in order to heal and create real, sustained change. Right?
Wrong!
The reason why we tend to choose the simple path is that it is simple. It’s easy. Changing our innate habits can be scary and difficult. Yet, more and more people are realizing it is not the strategy that makes a successful business.
I like to think of the body as the subconscious mind. According to research, 95% of brain activity is beyond your conscious awareness. In other words 95% of the time you are doing things or thinking about things on autopilot.
For example, do you need to consciously tell your hand how to hold your toothbrush, and then brush your teeth? Or are you able to do it without thinking? Do you need to remind yourself to blink your eyes, or swallow, or “how” to feel angry? Do you even fully understand why certain things make you angry? Or is it just an autopilot response you have become accustomed to after certain experiences?
I think we can agree that routines and habits are part of our subconscious programming. And, your body (aka your subconscious mind) loves familiarity. The more habits and routines you have the safer your body feels. Here is the thing though. In order to make conscious change, it requires you to step outside of that which is familiar. You have to be, do and become different than you are in the present. Because your subconscious mind hates change, it will do all it can to sabotage your efforts by filling your mind with thoughts like “why bother,” “this is too hard,” “start tomorrow”.
But, you see the resistance we encounter during the process of change is a good thing. It is a sign that what you are doing is working. If it wasn’t, your body would not bother putting up a fight. According to the Law of Attraction, the simple fact that you desire to make a change, pursue a dream, get healthy, get in shape, or whatever it might be…means that you are capable of doing so.
Whatever you can hold in your heart, you can hold in your hand. ~Bob Proctor
imagine being a pilot of a plane and engaging the auto-pilot system. The plane is now flying itself. With the system still activated, you try to make changes to the pre-programmed route, but the plane’s system won’t let you. So you override the auto-pilot system and start to make the changes by hand. Before you know you are getting calls from air traffic control with warnings that you are off course. Now imagine you are still the pilot, your body is the auto-pilot system, and your subconscious mind is air traffic control. You see your body simply doesn’t understand what it doesn’t understand. So in order for real change to happen, you have to take the reigns, pick your course and ignore the chatter.
According to Newton’s third law of motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Every time you take one step forward there is an equal reaction to pull you one step backward. That pull to take one step backward is resistance. The trick is not to eliminate the feeling of resistance by staying inside our comfort zone. But instead to know how to deal with the resistance that shows up in your life and value the lessons it is teaching you.
Additionally, keep in mind that resistance usually points to a fear or limiting belief that shows up in the form of a habit, pattern or obstacle. Use this time as an opportunity to release those limiting beliefs and show gratitude for the abundance that is surely on its way. Sometimes the best way to move past resistance is simply to get started, press play and keep the action going.
On the other hand, if you do get started, but still feel overwhelmed by the feeling of resistance, it means you’re trying to force the outcome. You are pushing too hard. When you are trying to force things, it’s a sign that you doubt the universe will show up and you’re out of alignment. It is at these times that it is good to remind yourself to take a step back and allow things to flow.
I am so grateful to have learned how to interpret the resistance I feel in my life this year. But, even more so I am grateful to have learned that going through the resistance, making lasting change is essential to living the life that I truly desire. I too had been caught up in the quick fix, magic pill mentality for too long.
I spent every last dime we had on trying to build my dream business. If there was some new shiny course or strategy that came along promising to show me the way to the promise land, I jumped on the bandwagon.
After two years of this with our savings completely depleted, a crisis hit. Our home flooded, and insurance refused to pay. Needless to say, it is during times of desperation when we must face our demons. I took a hard look at the decisions I had been making. I knew I was being bold but thought I was being bold in the name of entrepreneurship.
Here is what I discovered during this time of contemplation. Entrepreneurship is about being original, being unique, and sharing with the world that special thing that only you have. You cannot download that, or watch it in any course. You have to BE an entrepreneur. You have become your dream.
Then and there I decided to become bigger than I had been. I knew there was not going to be any more quick fixes in my future, but the result was going to be a million times better.
If you are anything like me, let me ask you this: Is it worse to push through the resistance to feel completely free on the other side? Or to get immediate satisfaction now, but be a prisoner to your solution?
If you have big dreams, and bold goals you need to become extremely comfortable being uncomfortable. You will fight your inner voice’s need for safety frequently. Anyone can download strategy after strategy. It takes a real visionary to take the strategy and turn it into magic. You can’t become a visionary with your planes on autopilot.
Know that you are the master of your destiny. You are the pilot. When your autopilot system tries to keep you on your same boring course, override the system. Believe in yourself, and know that the universe has your back. And, when you start to feel that turbulent resistance, smile. Because that means you’re so close to the change you seek.
Wendy Louise is a writer, speaker, and a manifestation and personal transformation mentor. As an anesthesia provider, she combines spiritual teachings with scientific research to teach her clients how to release trapped emotions from their past, and turn their present dreams into real life. You can download one of her free resources at her website, WWW.WendyLouise.net