Resistance is something we often hear discussed in terms of mindfulness, mental health and emotional well-being, but what do we mean by it? Resistance is any way in which we try to block the flow of energy, to try to stop something from happening, to push something away rather than allowing it to happen. When we resist, we are doing the opposite of having acceptance. We’re attempting to stop what is meant to happen naturally and organically. We’re refusing to surrender – to the truth, to our destiny, to what is meant to be.
Resistance can take on many forms, and it usually has a lot to do with fear. Let’s take our resistance to growth as an example. When we refuse to grow and change, we’re showing resistance. When we have doubt, when we are consumed with worry and anxiety, when we let fear overtake us, we are resisting. When we push against our growth, with pessimism or negativity, we are resisting. When we doubt ourselves and lose faith in ourselves, we’re resisting the natural progression of our growth process.
Often what we are resisting is for our highest good. Objectively and consciously most of us want to grow. We want to improve upon ourselves and be the best we can be. Growth strengthens us and builds character. When we grow, we open ourselves up to learning and experiencing new things. We expand ourselves and our vision. We change for the better. We make progress in our lives. We resist growth, though, because of our fear of discomfort, of change, of pressure and difficulty.
When we are filled with resistance, we’ve often become accustomed to avoiding being challenged. We take the “path of least resistance,” or the easy way out, because we fear difficulty, because we don’t want to push ourselves. We don’t want to risk failure. We don’t want to be disappointed. We don’t want to let ourselves or others down. We don’t want to have to pick ourselves up and start all over again. We want to maintain an image of perfection to the outside world. We assume it’s safer for us, therefore, to resist anything that pushes us out of the safety and familiarity of our comfort zones.
As we heal more and discover new truths about ourselves, we find that it can actually be problematic to resist what is meant for us. We miss out on important personal development. We keep ourselves stuck and hold ourselves back. We end up limiting ourselves. Thinking we’re keeping ourselves safe, we’re actually keeping ourselves small, when we’re actually meant to grow, to expand and soar to new heights.
The recovery process can come with unforeseen and unpredictable challenges. Because we have personal experience with addiction and recovery, we understand and can help you succeed. Call Riverside Recovery today: (800) 871-5440.