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“The enemy is not lack of preparation;
it’s not the difficulty of the project or the state of the marketplace or the emptiness of our bank account.
The enemy is Resistance.”
Steven Pressfield
“Whatever you resist, persists.”
These profound words echoed through a recent conversation I had and they struck a chord. It reminded me of a time when I was really down.
If that wasn’t bead enough, I was really annoyed at myself for feeling down! Which made me feel even more down!!
How often do we find ourselves unconsciously fighting with our emotions, only to realise that the more we resist, the more they hang around?
It’s a universal truth, particularly when it comes to our mood in relation to how we see our circumstances or people. When events or people aren’t the ‘way we want’, our inner voice can get wound up. This brings with it emotions.
It’s fine if they pass through us but what dampens our moods is if we resist on some level, and without realising it, wind ourselves up which drags our mood down even more. Once our mood drops, so too does our ability to navigate life successfully. We don’t think as well, we get more reactive and we have less clarity.
When we resist something, we inadvertently give it more power over us. But what if we took a different approach?
What if, instead of resisting reality, we accepted it? What if, instead of resisting our emotions, we embraced them?
Accepting reality doesn’t mean we can’t seek to change it or elements of it. Embracing our emotions doesn’t mean giving in to them or letting them control us.
When I realised I was winding myself up because of my own resistance to feeling a certain way, it ‘popped’ my bad mood instantly. It was incredible and it showed me what was possible with shining just a little more light of awareness on my inner world.
The next time you find yourself face-to-face with a challenging emotion, I invite you to pause and take a deep breath.
Instead of reacting to what you think and feel is going on, check and challenge what your inner voice is saying about your situation or the people around you. It’s most likely not the full story and by taking that pause and reflecting on your thinking and emotions you bring a valuable ally into the picture…
Perspective.
Have a great week!
Best,
Shane
Win More At Life – MindShift – Doors Closing: The only MindShift program in 2024 starts next Monday, 19th February but we close doors this week. This unique opportunity is designed to elevate your work and life over 8 transformative weeks, virtually. Check out all the details here.
The Inner Edge Podcast: Short, bite-sized nuggets of 10-12 minutes, designed to give you motivation and plenty of inspirational food for thought. Listen on my website here or on all major podcasting platforms.
This week’s episode, Ep 166: What Are You Thinking From?
