When we have a dream or a goal, or a big desire that we’re making movement toward, there are often some very uncomfortable, but completely normal things that arise inside of us along the way.

 

We might get stuck. Forward movement stops and we feel confused, our confidence gets shaky, or we feel completely, eerily disconnected from the entire thing.

 

We might start to wonder if this dream is really the right thing for us, or if it’s even possible. We might not want to do something anymore and we don’t know why we feel that way.

 

What’s going on?

 

Sometimes we bump up against resistance to forward movement. At other times our inner wisdom is trying to tell us that something is “off”.

 

How do we know what’s what? Here’s how I discern the difference:

 

Resistance is a normal part of growth and change. It shows up in a myriad of ways and usually kicks up a sandstorm of crazy-making feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

 

That’s because resistance shows up in response to a fear we are feeling – a fear of change, a fear of the unknown, a fear of success, a fear of failure, a fear of visibility, etc.

 

When we go into resistance, we step into a feeling state, a series of thought patterns, and slew of unconscious behaviors that are incongruent with how we usually feel, how we usually think, and how we usually show up in the world.

 

Even though we’re usually on time, quick to understand, very on top of things, eager to get things done, glass-half-full kind of women … we can become uncharacteristically late, confused, overwhelmed procrastinators with crappy attitudes, a belly full of neediness, and a side dish of angry, woe-is-me, defeatist thinking.

 

Resistance, and all the not-so-glow-y behaviors that can come with it, creates a lot of tension in our bodies, hearts, and minds.

 

That’s because underneath all the weirdness that we’re playing out, we are afraid. And fear, if kept unchecked and at arm’s length, drives us to do, think, say, and believe a whole lotta crazy stuff – about ourselves, about what’s possible, about the world around us, and more.

 

Resistance leaves us feeling inadequate, alone, and incapable. This is very different from how our inner knowing makes us feel.

 

While resistance can make us feel very fractured and different from our usual selves, our inner knowing brings us back into a place of peace, wholeness, and relief.

 

When we tap into our inner knowing about something, it feels like we’ve come home to a place we can rest in and rely upon. There’s less confusion, less chaos, less fear. And that’s because our inner knowing is something we can trust. It has only our best interests in mind.

 

Our inner knowing can come forward as a flash of insight, like a slew of images or even a movie reel in our minds. It can emerge as a whispering voice, a body sensation, or a clear series of emotions that highlight how we really feel and what we really know about something, or someone.

 

But here’s the real difference between resistance and inner knowing – when our inner knowing is present, we feel like we’ve landed inside of ourselves. We feel grounded, resourced, and clear. We feel powerful, resilient, and strong.

 

Resistance leaves us feeling the exact opposite of this.

 

Thankfully, we can work with resistance and come back to ourselves more focused, compassionate, and ready to fulfill our dreams than ever before. Because resistance is part of becoming more of who we can be.

 

Our inner knowing is here to bring us back to ourselves and what is true, in integrity, and aligned for us. And resistance is here to stretch and grow us beyond our fears, into the more we want in our lives.

 

Now you know how to identify if you’re just resisting something that maybe you still need to do, or if something different is more aligned for you.

 

Here’s to following our inner wisdom and trusting our resistance to teach us.

 

Let’s get to it, my loves. x