Resistance

“When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile” ~ Regina Brett

Let’s talk about resistance. Because I have been feeling A LOT of it lately, know what I mean? Since March, I have been the poster girl for “let’s look for the silver lining” and “come on, zoom is the next best thing!” but hey. I. Am. Tired. I think I hit a wall right after the election was over. I lost my energy. I stopped feeling optimistic. I started to resist. And my body is feeling the effects of resisting what IS.

Yoga calls this Dvesha, or aversion. Pushing against what we don’t want. Which is usually something that is happening. Our pushing against what is could be compared to trying to move a very large and heavy stone. There it sits, no matter how we struggle to push against it. And then it is our struggling, not the stone that is causing our suffering.

So here I am, sitting in the middle of Dvesha. 2020 is what 2020 is. Covid19 is what Covid 19 is. Masks are the thing now. The Pandemic is what it is. My being sick of it, my pushing against it, is making me very very tired. Can you relate?

So this post is about a change of perspective. For me, and maybe for you as well.

Let’s look at lifting weights. You know the principle of progressive overload, right? In the weight room, we purposefully pick up weights that challenge us. And when we can lift a given weight successfully, we move up to a heavier weight. Our goal is failure. Yep, failure. When we can no longer lift a given weight, tiny muscle fibers inside our muscles actually tear. Tear! That’s the whole goal. But here’s the cool thing. In the 48 hours that follow, the body does this amazing process of repair. And the fibers bind again, and come back stronger, just in case the crazy lady tries to lift that weight again.

I think this is a great analogy for life, and it is making me excited to wake up tomorrow with the “silver lining” lenses back on. The funk I have been in has just been like muscle fibers that were pushed beyond their limits. I reached my limit, and I broke. But all that means is that I get to repair, and come back stronger than before. I can use this resistance as a way to grow.

There is a very important key here though. It takes muscle fibers 48 hours to rest and rebuild. We need rest. We need Self Care. We need sleep, yoga, and meditation. We need more of what calms our nervous system, and gives us peace. What is that for you? Walking in nature, reading a good book, cuddling with a pet, calling a friend you haven’t talked to in awhile? I have been sending out a hand written card every day to someone I want to acknowledge. It has been so rejuvenating. Find the time to rest, and repair. Stop resisting. Let’s wake up tomorrow with new lenses. Silver linings. See you on Zoom friends!