Have you ever had the experience of being really sure of what you want and yet you feel like somehow your foot is firmly on the break?
Some might call this self sabotage but this term certainly feels pretty loaded and has the potential for self judgement and blame. Trust me, I’ve been down that rabbit hole!
What if we were to take a softer approach? What if we instead thought about it as habitual resistance to change? For me, this perspective, “habitual resistance to change” implies an opportunity to build awareness of this strategy, uncover the patterns and give us vital insights into how to set ourselves up for success in the future. This sounds much more exciting and empowering than self sabotage!
Much like any good murder mystery (because if we are honest our resistance to change is a real dream killer), we will need to consider motive (the why), the weapon (how) and the timeline (the when). Put all these pieces of the puzzle together and it enables us to form a story of the circumstances leading up to the “crime”. With this information we can “crack the case open” – and this is where things get really interesting!!
Unlike a police investigation once we have figured out our patterns we have an incredible opportunity to experiment, to make small, yet significant adjustments to our mindset and our actions. Our brains much prefer this as they are set up to go on HIGH ALERT if our experiences cannot be matched to anything similar in our past. When we can begin to CONSCIOUSLY make choices and decisions that are in alignment with the experiences that we really want to be having, without our own “habitual resistance to change” – oh the places we could go! This simple yet profound strategy can catalyse growth in all aspects of our life – our health, our finances, our relationships, our career or purpose and our connection (to our personal version of That Which Is Greater).
Developing this super sleuth system for uncovering our resistance can empower us to build our courage, resilience and confidence over time. It’s even possible it could feel fun, easy and light. What could be possible if you were to commit to developing this skill set… for you, for the people that are important to you in your life and to the world? What could be possible if you truly felt unstoppable?
Remember, taking your foot off the break doesn’t mean you are going to plunge off a cliff at full speed. You also have control of the accelerator, the gears and the route you take. You are the driver.
And just like learning to drive for the first time, what feels unfamiliar, clunky and scary to start with, when you commit to practising, over time, can feel easy and natural. Once you are in this state you can relax and fully experience the journey, taking it all in, stopping to enjoy the view, making memories, creating the adventurous life you really want.