Battling Resistance to Fortify Will
How to Shake Off Distractions so You Can Move into Action
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In this post:
A Revelation of Resistance (with a capital R)
Resistance is the Ultimate Distractor
What you can do about it
Nearly every single morning, I think about Resistance. The kind with a capital R. While making my coffee and getting ready for my morning writing ritual, which you can read about here, I think about all the things I’m going to accomplish that day, and I thank my Muses for helping me through.
I can’t help but think about Resistance because most mornings Resistance is what gets me out of bed, slides me into my house shoes, and stands me upright at the Keurig.
Some of you might be thinking, But what does she mean by ‘Resistance’? If you’re a creative person, then you already know what Resistance is, you just might not have connected it to your own life… until now.
A Revelation of Resistance
Several years ago, when a friend of mine recommended that I read Steven Pressfield’s book The War of Art, it took a few mentions before I finally paid attention, snagged a copy, and sat down to read. I read the book in a single sitting, tearing through it and highlighting paragraphs along the way. One of the constructs—the main construct, really—that Pressfield introduces in the book is the notion of Resistance.
Typical of human nature, what happens when we’re faced with change? We resist, right? And what about when we’re feeling coerced to do something we really don’t want to do? We resist.
From the writer’s point of view, every day we are faced with EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE that is determined to keep us from doing the thing we are meant to be doing: writing. These distractions, obstacles, hurdles, and moods can cause a writer to resist the work. And by not writing, our joy can be snatched from beneath us, our purpose shrouded, and we can spiral into a place that can be terribly difficult and time-consuming to overcome.
Resistance is hitting the alarm clock several times before finally getting up. Resistance looks like choosing to binge-watch The Office for the fifteenth time instead of turning off the TV and turning on the computer (guilty). Resistance looks like a well-meaning friend inviting you to lunch when what you really should be doing is finishing that chapter you’ve been chiseling away at for several days. Resistance whispers in your ear You have enough time in the day to write. You should go ahead and [do everything else but write]. And I can’t help but believe that Resistance knows good and well inspiration is fleeting and when we catch it, writers MUST hang onto it tight. Resistance is such a thief.
Resistance is the Ultimate Distractor
Resistance is keeping us writers distracted and spiraling, and it’s stealing the action right out of the writing magick equation.
Resistance keeps a writer in planning mode. It halts us from moving into action because planning is where many writers are most comfortable. Moving into action can be new and scary and difficult. The planning phase is a comfort zone.
In chapter 11 of his book Atomic Habits, author James Clear refers to this very concept. Authors are notorious for using the planning phase like a lazy river. I’ll admit it. I can be the world’s worst! However, during these many decades of writing, I’ve learned that creative procrastination is both an energy zapper and thief of precious time.
Ever since reading The War of Art and learning about Resistance, I keep the construct close to mind. I’ve learned to recognize when it’s happening and as soon as I smell it, I choose to fight against it. I’ve chosen writing over Netflix, writing over sleeping in (but NOT over actually sleeping), and writing over lunch dates (rescheduling for after I’ve finished writing, of course). The only thing I haven’t chosen writing over is my family... but sometimes they do lovingly remind me when to pause and take a break. My dogs? They’re not so patient.
Resistance will only rule over you if you allow it.
Not me. I’m the King of Swords, the ruler of my own thoughts. Resistance is nothing more than a motivator.
Now, repeat that: Resistance is nothing more than a motivator. And use it to launch off that sofa, out of that bed, and/or out of that head and get to writing.
How does Resistance appear in your life?
How is Resistance showing up for you? What is it keeping you from doing that you really want to accomplish? Now, what do you plan on doing about it?
In case you missed it...
You can find previously published posts in this Writing Magick series here:
Crafting Your Writing Magick Ritual
About Mandy
Amanda "Mandy" Hughes is an author and instructional designer who uses the tarot to inspire storytelling. Her book Mystic Storyteller: A Writer’s Guide to Using the Tarot for Creative Inspiration and companion tarot deck are helping her peers do exactly that. She also writes fiction under pen name A. Lee Hughes. Mandy lives in Georgia with her husband and four sons, two of whom are furrier than the others (but not by much). Visit her website at www.haintbluecreative.com and find her on Substack @HaintBlueCreative.
