Anytime we are challenged to reach beyond our limits a certain amount of discomfort will arise to make us aware we are being stretched. It is only natural to want to stay where things are comfortable, where everything is easy and painless. However, when we only do what we know and only do what feels safe, we cannot experience the full spectrum of life’s experiences. Physiologically, there is a natural tendency or reflex to contract or to even flinch when we become stressed or startled. This physical discomfort or emotional unease can actually help you to recognize your resistance to experience change.
We are built to adapt to change, it’s only when we don’t have the energy or resources to adapt to that change that we experience stress. If we are unable to adapt, we resist change and this resistance has both physical and emotional implications. Physically we can hold resistance with our bodies; it shows up in the way we hold ourselves, the tension within our muscles, the way we breathe and the energy that we carry. Emotionally there is a tightness in our hearts, an unwillingness to feel anything new or anything at all.
When we stay where we are and continue to do things out of habit and fear there leaves little room to experience the passions of life. Think about what happens when you want to have a difficult conversation with someone. The longer you allow yourself to hold on to those unvoiced emotions the more your body will physically hold that tension and resistance. After having a difficult conversation most people say “it was like a weight being lifted off my shoulders”. Being able to recognize resistance can show you places where you can grow and become more adaptable to change. Sometimes just becoming aware and admitting that there is resistance can be powerfully healing.
The comfort zone in your body is the range of motion that your spine can move through and that also defines the range of emotion that you allow your body to experience. At BodyMind Wellness Studio we focus on developing an optimal connection between the body and the brain. With light touches to the spine, the brain becomes aware of the tension it was holding within the joints and muscles. When the body releases tension we then stretch the spine, allowing for greater movement and an increased range of motion.
Resistance can show us where we can grow, where we need to grow – if we want to experience more of what life has to offer. Most of the time, we prefer to choose what is safer and least likely to cause pain. In order to fully open ourselves to the things that make life beautiful and fulfilling we have to be willing to get uncomfortable.
“Resist settling in the comfort of the familiar, sometimes you have to reach to experience the sweetness of life.” Dr Julie Doobay
Copyright Dr. Julie Doobay 2021
