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Resistance isn’t your enemy—it’s a signal that you’re stepping into something bigger. It’s not about fighting harder or forcing your way through. It’s about redirecting your energy, understanding your fears, and pushing forward with purpose. Change is uncomfortable, but staying stuck is worse. So, recognize the resistance, expect it, and move through it. Push, don’t pull. Because on the other side of that discomfort is everything you’ve been working for.

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Push. Don’t Pull – Life Stories 175

Now, a question for you: Are you facing resistance in your life? I’m not talking about sore muscles or physical discomfort, but that frustrating feeling of pushing hard only to feel stuck, like you’re making no progress. Does this resonate with you? If so, you’re not alone—every one of us comes up against resistance at some point in our lives, whether it’s in relationships, careers, or even in our own minds.

So, what exactly is resistance? From a psychological standpoint, resistance is simply a reaction to change. If you’ve been following these sessions, you probably already know the distinction between a reaction and a response. For those just joining us (welcome!), a reaction is like a reflex—quick, thoughtless, and automatic. A response is a chosen action, one that considers the consequences of the situation. Resistance, then, is more of a reaction than a response—it’s our mind’s instinctive way of trying to protect us.

But here’s the tricky part: Change is inherently uncomfortable because it forces us out of our cozy routines and habits. Whether you’re trying to eat healthier, exercise more, or tackle a daunting project at work, you will face resistance. And let’s be real—resistance hurts.

This is where we can learn from Buddha’s insight: “Change is never painful; only resistance to change is painful.” He nailed it. Change itself isn’t inherently good or bad—it just is. Our suffering comes from resisting that change, from wanting things to stay comfortable and predictable.

Think about it: If you decide to start exercising more, what happens? Your mind will fight back. Why go to the gym when the couch is so comfortable? You had a long day; you deserve to rest, right? That inner dialogue, the rationalizing and excuse-making, is resistance. And without the awareness of it, this kind of self-sabotage can quietly ruin your plans.

But here’s something you need to understand: Resistance is completely natural. It’s not something to be ashamed of. It’s just your brain trying to keep you safe and conserve energy. To help you understand it a bit better, let’s dive into the neuroscience behind it.

The Science of Resistance

The brain has multiple parts that contribute to resistance:

The Prefrontal Cortex: This is your decision-making center. It processes logistics, strategy, and rational thought, but it has limited capacity. Change can overwhelm and fatigue it quickly.
The Amygdala: This is your fear center. It’s responsible for triggering your fight, flight, or freeze response. The moment you start considering a big change, the amygdala kicks in, making you feel anxious or even fearful.
The Basal Ganglia: This area stores your habits and routines. Once a habit is formed, the basal ganglia runs it on autopilot, so your brain doesn’t have to work as hard. When you try to change a habit, this part of the brain resists because it’s essentially programmed to stick with what it knows.

When all these areas start firing off together, change can feel impossible. But you can work with it. Start by becoming more self-aware. Recognize when resistance shows up in your life. Does it appear as procrastination? Do you suddenly feel exhausted when it’s time to work? Make a list of the ways resistance manifests in your life, because once you know what it looks like, you can create strategies to combat it.

Don’t Just Push—Redirect

So, how do you overcome resistance? You push through—but not in the way you might think. Imagine you’re facing a door labeled PUSH but you keep trying to PULL. It’s frustrating, right? That’s what resistance feels like: trying to pull when you should be pushing. When you push—when you lean into the discomfort instead of fighting it—you make progress.

But pushing doesn’t mean using brute force. It means redirecting your focus and attention. Understand why you’re resisting. What’s the underlying fear or belief that’s holding you back? Maybe you’re afraid of failing, or maybe success itself scares you. Once you identify the root cause, you can start to rewrite the narrative.

Build the Right Mindset

Building the right mindset means expecting resistance and being prepared for it. Go in with the understanding that it’s going to be uncomfortable. This awareness lets you respond instead of react. Plan for setbacks and come up with counter-strategies to stay on course. If you know you tend to procrastinate, set a timer and work in short bursts. If you tend to feel overwhelmed, break your goal into smaller, more manageable tasks.

And most importantly, never lose sight of your WHY. Your why is the driving force behind everything you do. If you’re struggling to get started or push through, take a moment to reconnect with it. Why are you doing this? What’s at stake? Picture the outcome if you don’t follow through. Make it vivid, make it real, and let it push you forward.

Push Through. Don’t Give Up.

There’s no sugarcoating it—resistance is going to win a few battles. You’ll have days when you slip up, give in, or just can’t seem to push through. That’s okay. What’s important is that you keep coming back. The war is far from over.

Promise yourself, right here, right now: Resistance will not win. You’ll keep pushing forward, no matter how slow or small your steps may be. Because the only way to overcome resistance is to keep going.

So, decide what you want. Dig deep. Find your why. And push—not because it’s easy, but because it’s worth it.

Push forward. Always.

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