What Is Resistance? How It Shows Up and What It’s Telling You: From Being Stuck to Living in Flow

Some tips on how to recognise resistance and what to do.

Resistance is often defined as opposition, or as a refusal to accept something. In electricity, resistance refers to the force that opposes the flow of energy through a material.

In many ways, this mirrors what happens within us. When we experience resistance, we interrupt our natural flow. The flow of energy in our body, our thoughts, and our emotions becomes restricted. Instead of moving freely, we can begin to feel stuck, rigid, and disconnected. Over time, this can lead to discomfort or suffering.

Resistance is a common challenge. It can affect our well-being, our focus, and our sense of direction, making it harder to create the life we want. It can also show up in our relationships, personal and professional.

How resistance shows up

Resistance can take many forms, including:

Procrastination and avoidance
Blaming others
Controlling behaviours
Worry, stress, or anxiety
Feeling overwhelmed or paralysed
Difficulty making decisions
Negative self-talk

You may recognize some of these patterns in your own life.

Why do we resist?

Our brain is wired to protect us, and many of the strategies we develop for protection operate outside of our conscious awareness. These patterns are often created in response to experiences that felt confusing, painful, or threatening at the time.

The amygdala plays a key role in this process. It helps us assess threats and decide how to respond. It also connects emotions with memory, learning, and sensory input. When something is perceived as a threat, the amygdala can trigger a fear response, even if the situation is not actually dangerous in the present moment.

Why it can feel so hard to change

Much of this process happens automatically, before we are even aware of it. These protective patterns are fast, unconscious, and deeply ingrained.

So the question becomes: how do we become aware of something that operates beneath our conscious mind? How do we overcome resistance?

Becoming aware of your patterns

The first step is awareness.

One way to begin is by noticing your triggers. A trigger is when you move quickly from a calm state to a strong emotional reaction. This is often your system responding to a perceived threat.

When this happens, pause and gently ask yourself:

Why does this feel so intense?
What feels threatened right now?
What might this be connected to?

Approaching this with curiosity rather than judgment can reveal deeper insights than you might expect.

Moving through resistance

If you experience resistance, there are reasons for it. These patterns once served a purpose. They were ways of protecting you.

Understanding your resistance is the key to working through it.

As awareness grows, you begin to create space for new choices. Instead of reacting automatically, you can respond more consciously, with clarity and intention.

Working through resistance is one of the most empowering things you can do. It allows you to move forward, create meaningful change, and begin to live with greater ease and alignment.

Possible Next Step

If you feel you need support, you don’t have to navigate this alone.

Debbie is a holistic life coach who helps you connect not only with your thoughts, but also with your body and it's wisdom to support you in moving through resistance and creating lasting change. Debbie can help you gain clarity and move forward.

👉 Book a session or reach out to learn more. CLICK HERE.

Debbie is a holistic life and drawing coach and Reiki Master Teacher who helps you gain clarity, reconnect with yourself, and move forward with confidence. Sessions are offered in Montreal and online.

Suggestions for Further Reading:

Amygdala: What Is It and What It Controls. Cleveland Clinic. April 11, 2023

Memory, the Amygdala, and PTSD. Susan R.. Barry, Ph.D. Psychology Today. March 18, 2011