Overcoming Resistance

Carl Jung’s wise words “what we resist persists” couldn’t be more true. Transcend your resistance by courageously stepping outside your comfort zone to unlock your full potential .

- Emma Nuttall (Higginson)

You face resistance in many areas of life. Resistance, put simply, stops you from getting things done. It’s the excuses and justifications of why you should be doing anything other than the project you are resisting.

Resistance is the voice in your head that tells you you’re not good enough or smart enough, or that there’s not enough time. It’s the negative self-talk that feeds your self-doubt. Resistance involves continuing to focus your attention on what no longer serves you, putting your energy into selflimiting behaviours and patterns simply because that is what you have always done.

Resistance reinforces your defence system and encourages you to remain within the safety and security of your comfort zones. Often constructed in childhood, your defence system can protect you from truly feeling unpleasant and sometimes from traumatic thoughts and emotions. Maintaining your defences and only attempting experiences that fit within the constraints of your comfort zone allows you to feel safe. However, resisting change and new experiences may be holding you back from reaching your full potential.

Author and self-help expert, the late Dr Wayne Dyer, taught, “When we stay with the familiar we take no risks. If we don’t take risks, we don’t have to change and can explain the reason for our lack of growth as a multitude of external circumstances. Comfort keeps us feeling safe, albeit stuck-in-place — and in a place that seldom serves us or those we love, at a higher level. Resistance is a basic part of the fear of changing.”

In order to evolve, develop your unique gifts and explore life’s possibilities, you must have the courage to pursue your dreams and face challenges head-on.

When does resistance strike?