Faced With Resistance?

Don't fight it.

We all go through stages where we experience some kind of resistance, whether it's a situation, a relationship with a boss, coworker, or a plan not going according to plan.

If there's one thing we can count on, it's that we will come face to face with resistance at some point in our lives but how do we handle resistance without fighting it? I have two simple ideas for you.

Align yourself with the resistance

This does not mean agreeing with or succumbing to the resistance, but looking at the situation from the perspective of the source of the resistance– the thing, person, or situation.

As an apprentice at his brother's printing shop in Boston, young Benjamin Franklin saw an opportunity to contribute by writing for The Courant, but his brother thought differently, he did not believe Benjamin was a good enough writer for the company because he underestimated him, so he refused to let him write. Realizing it was pointless to argue with his brother, Benjamin decided to create a fictional character with a persona that would appeal to his brother, someone who would write to The Courant.

He sent the first letter and watched with amusement as his brother published it speedily and added a note in the newspaper asking for more letters from the young female widow Silence Dogood (the fictional character that Benjamin had created). By creatively aligning himself with his brother's expectations–that of a skilled writer with a story worth publishing–Benjamin Franklin was able to overcome this resistance and still contributed some of his best writings to The Courant.

See resistance as an opportunity to change

In most cases, resistance is just change disguised and by approaching it with this mindset, not only do we position ourselves to maximize the opportunities presented by the resistance, but we also take charge of the narrative and make something good and positive out of it.

Every resistance presents an opportunity to see change and make a change.

You may be experiencing resistance because it's time to change your approach to something, a relationship or situation? Again, every resistance presents an opportunity to see change and make a change. We just have to be brave enough to seize these opportunities.

So, the next time you are faced with resistance in your work, relationships or a specific situation, don't fight it but look for ways to align yourself or find an opportunity to change.

Here's to finding some creative and bold new ways to handle your resistance.

Tosin Adewumi
PASSION REVEALS PURPOSE
www.passionrevealspurpose.com
"It's time to do your most fulfilling and meaningful life's work"