Why Can't I do it? Making Time for your Practices
When school was still in session I kept telling myself that I didn’t have time to sew or practice yoga. All I could think about was getting back to my yoga or taking time to sew.
Now that time has opened up a little, you’d think I’d go running to my mat or rush to get to my sewing machine. But, for some reason I don’t. I keep avoiding them.
A lot of my students and clients struggle with this along with me. We tell ourselves that the reason we’re not practicing yoga, or engaging creatively is that we don’t have the time. But when the time is available - we still don’t do it.
When that happens over and over, it’s pretty clear that time is not actually the issue. The real problem is resistance.
It’s Resistance
In his book War of Art Steven Pressfield describes resistance as a natural force - much like gravity - that arises anytime you try to rise up and do or be something more.
Resistance is the force that glues you to the couch even when you know you’d feel better if you did your yoga. Resistance keeps you scrolling the internet instead of pulling out the knitting needles. Resistance has a lot of costumes: avoidance, fear, boredom, the critic. Whatever form it takes, resistance only serves one purpose - the purpose of stopping you.
Saying NO and Saying YES
One way to start to think about resistance is that it’s like a current that runs through you and says NO to your creative and spiritual growth. The good news is that there is another current that also says YES.
Our job as soulful creatives and seekers is to make the leap from the NO to the YES.*
I’m part of a circle of women that meets once a week for process work. Our teacher asks us to spontaneously volunteer to take turns leading the opening meditation each week. We close our eyes and someone starts speaking spontaneously. Some weeks I start saying NO to leading the meditation when I am still in the car on my way to the group. My NO has nothing to do with my ability to lead meditation. It is simply my resistance coming up.
Some weeks, I stay stuck in the NO.
But some weeks I can make the leap.
It takes an intentional inner nudge to get past the NO. When I do, though, I have a different experience of myself. I feel more alive and committed to the group. And I grow my ability to stay in the YES current.
Caught in the NO?
When you realize that you’re saying NO to the things that actually support you, like your creative life or your yoga practice, check in. Maybe there’s no real reason to say NO other than you’re in the NO current.
If so, use your intention to make the leap into the YES. Remind yourself what you want for yourself. And ask yourself if you want to stay stuck here, or if you want to move forward in your practices?
Chances are, if resistance is coming up, you’re ready to make a leap into deeper spiritual connection and more artistic freedom. Say YES to your growth! It’s time to move forward.
*This idea of the YES Current and NO Current come out of Gurdjieff ‘s work