For the rest of the summer I’ll be sharing a series on intentional time expenditures. From reflecting on the halfway mark of 2019 to steps I’m taking to prepare for the fall, I’ll share with you various ways I’m spending my time throughout these summer months to stay well, productive, and fulfilled.
Today I want to share a bit of personal news and talk about how I’ve been navigating some ongoing and upcoming changes in my life.
At the end of this month (hello, August, you arrived so quickly!) I will be moving to Ireland to pursue my MA in Coaching Psychology.
Through this program I’ll be studying everything from research methods and evidence-based coaching to human flourishing, cognitive enhancement, organizational psychology, and coaching in group settings. I’ll also complete a year-long research dissertation in work, organizational, and coaching psychology.
I could certainly go on and on about the details of the program and how INSANELY excited and grateful I am for this opportunity, but I won’t take up too much more of your time on that.
I do want to talk about the ways resistance is showing up for me throughout this process.
Resistance is a psychological reaction we have when we address something we fear will overwhelm us (think growth, change, new opportunities, hard decisions, complicated conversations, etc.).
As I’ve prepared for this next step, I am navigating countless logistical matters, asking lots of questions, and, in some cases, avoiding all of it.
Resistance is a completely natural, human reaction that shows up in different ways for each of us.
I’ve worked with clients where resistance shows up as avoidance, not communicating, lack of focus, negative self-talk, hiding, extreme doubt, excuses.
When resistance shows up for me, it’s often in the form of avoidance, lack of motivation, a difficult focusing on what I need to get done, and a lack of communication with with myself to check in on my needs and take care of myself.
Again, resistance is normal!
When it shows up, that most likely means you’re hitting a pressure point. You’re coming up against change. You’re going through a transition or shift.
I like to think of resistance as growing pains. Except we have the agency to confront our resistance.
How To Handle Resistance
First, we need to get honest with ourselves – is resistance showing up in my life? If yes, how is it showing up?
Why is resistance showing up? What in my life is overwhelming me? This may not be as clear as you think, and that in itself is a part of resistance and why clearly exploring these questions is so important.
How am I going to show up instead?
If I’ve been avoiding something or not communicating, the simple answer may be, I’m going to kick my butt into gear and address this thing.
The point here is to address it – identify the fear and how it is manifesting in your life.
Now own it. By taking ownership, you create agency. When you create agency you have control to shift your thinking and behavior to better serve you.
Resistance Shows Up Because We Care
Woo. Okay. How is this landing with you? Is resistance showing up in your life right now?
Even as I write this and think about my own resistance, I can’t help also feeling excited and giddy. This reminds me that resistance is showing up in this situation because I care so darn much about it.
Resistance wouldn’t be showing up if it wasn’t something important to me. Resistance wouldn’t be showing up if this opportunity wasn’t pushing me and stretching me into new growth.
So now I have to own it…and go reply to a couple important emails I’ve been avoiding. 🙂