Have you ever been trying to plug something in and you keep pushing and pushing but it seems stuck, then you stop only to realize you had the plug in the wrong direction? You turn the plug over and voila, no issues. I admit, it happens to me from time to time, but I have come to realize something very important.
When met with resistance, it’s time to stop and take note. Pushing harder is not often the solution.
This seems to apply to almost everything in life. When you hit resistance, it’s time to take stop and evaluate. If you don’t, you may continue to hit a roadblock and become frustrated.
I find this happens sometimes when I am writing. I have an idea for a topic and I start typing, and then….nothing. I begin to struggle to find the words to put down on paper (or the screen). I have found when I face resistance, it is time to assess.
Step Away
When there is resistance, something is not right. Here is the opportunity to step away from that action and decide the next step. I ask myself why I seem to be facing opposition. In the case of my writing, is it that it isn’t the great idea I first thought it was, or do I have to shift my approach?
I often find when looking at things in this scenario, there are two options.
- Step Away Temporarily
Sometimes just walking temporarily away from something can give it a fresh new look. Inviting yourself to release the focus and have a pattern interrupt can open up the mind, and things will once again flow, or at least come more easily.
- Move On
Moving on can often be difficult, but is sometimes the best answer. If you have invested time and effort, it can be difficult to let go, feeling like you wasted time. On the other hand, continuing to put time and effort into something without it going well may lead to an outlay of more resources that could have been better spent somewhere else.
Being honest with yourself when you stop to assess the source of the resistance. This will prove valuable as you evaluate whether or not to continue. It could identify the adjustments you need to make to make it work, or you may keep you from making a bad decision worse.