Looking at my calendar before bed, I was dreading the day ahead.
It was going to be a packed day, with an in-person coaching session, back-to-back calls late into the night, and a team dinner for a project I’m working on.
I’d have to be “on” while engaging with people all day. After a week of travels and feeling behind on my work, I felt like I needed to brace myself.
It turned out to be one of the best days I’ve had in a while.
The coaching session went so well, and my client had multiple breakthroughs during our hour together and throughout the day. The team dinner and calls were inspiring. I showed up fully… and it was fun!
The resistance I had was all in my head. And it was a waste of energy, because I could have looked forward to my day instead of dreaded it.
It made me think…
What am I resisting in life?
What do I view as an obligation?
How can I turn a “have to” into a “choose to,” and ultimately, a “get to”?
If it’s not a HELL YES from deep in my heart, why am I doing it?
And if it’s a responsibility or life circumstance I cannot change, can I shift to a higher perspective about it? Can I see the silver lining? Or find some gratitude for the growth it brings into my life?
There’s so much I’m resisting in life, big and small… And even if I don’t change anything, I can become a lot happier by releasing the resistance I carry.
While I like socializing and going to events, there’s a part of me that dreads it. My inner hermit loves my “me time.”
But my resistance takes me away from fully enjoying the moment.
It gets bigger than that.
I resist letting people in. I keep people an arm’s length away. Why? For many reasons, like wanting to protect myself or stay in control of my life and energy.
The funny thing is, the moment I drop the resistance and open my heart, these social exchanges become energizing. The right people and events fuel me.
What would a life without resistance look like?
We’d experience more ease and flow in our lives. We’d give ourselves fully to the present moment, instead of worrying about the future.
Finding Resistance in the Body
To release resistance, we first need to become aware of it. We’ve become so used to living in a state of tension that we might not realize how much stress we’re actually under.
First, scan your body. Where do you feel tension? Do you feel tightness in your neck, shoulders, or chest? Pressure in the forehead? What emotions do you feel (anxious, stressed, sad, lonely, angry, etc.), and where in your body do you feel them?
Bring awareness to each body part that carries tension and breathe into it. You can close your eyes in a meditation or deepen your breath and feel the tension you carry there. If a strong emotion comes up, feel it fully. Crying or yelling helps release and alchemize heavy emotions.
You can check in with yourself throughout the day. Even when you’re with people, stop for a moment to check in with your body. Are you feeling anything less than flow and bliss in the moment? What negative thoughts are running in the background? Are you coming from a place of lack, control, judgment, or fear?
Breathe deeply and observe yourself. Sometimes, this is all you need to do to release the tension and return to that peace within.
Listen to your body, and it’ll tell you what it needs – whether it’s more alone time, nourishing food, sleep, nature, or a supportive friend.
Living Freely, At Choice
I’d like to move through life freely, with open arms to welcome each present moment.
Maybe this comes from a deeper sense of trust in the universe, knowing that everything in our path is for our soul’s evolution. There’s a gift in every moment, every challenge, and every person we meet.
And through finding gratitude and breathing into life, we become co-creators with the universe… Drawing to us more experiences that are in alignment with our heart.
The energy we put out in the world cycles back. If we’re doing something from a place of lack or obligation, we’ll perpetuate that feeling and draw similar experiences to us.
It can start pretty simply. Smile, and we’ll find that the world smiles back.
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Love,
Ashmi
