Stage 2: The Resistance

When the Fight Begins

You answered The Call. You took the brave step. You spoke up, made the choice, said the thing you'd been holding back for years.

And then... everything got harder.

Not easier. Harder.

That's Resistance.

For me, Resistance looked like a year of silence. After I sent that email to my mom—after I finally found the courage to speak my truth—we didn't talk. At all.

At first, I thought the silence meant I'd made a mistake. That speaking up had been the wrong move. That I should have just kept quiet like I always had.

But Resistance isn't proof you're on the wrong path. Resistance is proof you're onto something real.

What Is Resistance?

Resistance is the force that rises up the moment you try to change.

It's the internal pushback. The external obstacles. The voice in your head that says:

• "See? This isn't working."

• "You should have stayed quiet."

• "You're not strong enough for this."

• "Just go back to how things were."

Resistance shows up in a thousand different forms:

• Self-sabotage - You start eating your feelings, skipping workouts, breaking promises to yourself

• Doubt - You question whether the change was worth it

• Excuses - You convince yourself you're too busy, too tired, too broken

• Fear disguised as logic - You rationalize staying stuck

• Other people's opinions - They tell you you're being dramatic, selfish, unrealistic

For years before I sent that email, I experienced Resistance in its quietest, most insidious form: I refused to fully stand up for myself.

I just kept breaking off pieces of myself to keep the peace. A little silence here. A swallowed word there. Until there was almost nothing left of me.

That's what Resistance does. It convinces you that staying small is safer than stepping into who you're meant to be.

Signs You're in the Resistance Stage

You might be facing Resistance if:

• You feel internal conflict - Part of you wants to move forward, part of you wants to retreat

• You're second-guessing yourself - "Did I make the right choice?"

• Old patterns are creeping back in - You're slipping into the comfort of familiar (but unhealthy) behaviors

• You feel alone - Like no one understands or supports your transformation

• Everything feels harder than you expected - Growth isn't glamorous; it's grueling

• You're tempted to quit - The voice saying "just go back" is getting louder

• You feel stuck between two worlds - You're not who you were, but you're not yet who you're becoming

Resistance is the valley between The Call and transformation. It's uncomfortable. It's lonely. And it's absolutely necessary.

Why Resistance Is So Powerful

Resistance knows exactly how to get to you.

It doesn't show up like a villain twirling a mustache. It shows up as your own voice. Your own doubts. Your own fears.

During that year of silence with my mom, Resistance whispered constantly:

• "You ruined everything."

• "You're too sensitive."

• "You'll never have a relationship with her now."

• "This is your fault."

And I believed it. For a while.

But here's what I learned: Resistance only fights this hard when you're threatening to become someone it can't control.

The old you—the silent, small, people-pleasing you—was safe for Resistance. Easy to manipulate. But the moment you started speaking up? The moment you started claiming your voice?

Resistance went to war.

How to Push Through Resistance

You don't defeat Resistance. You just refuse to let it win.

Here's how:

1. Expect it Stop being surprised when growth gets hard. Resistance is part of the process, not a sign you're failing.

2. Name it When you feel yourself pulling back, say it out loud: "This is Resistance." Don't let it operate in the shadows.

3. Keep moving anyway You don't have to feel confident. You don't have to feel ready. You just have to keep going.

4. Do the deep work In that year of silence, I didn't just sit around feeling sorry for myself. I worked on me. I dug into my past. I started dismantling the voice in my head that wasn't even mine.

That's when something shifted.

In that painful, uncomfortable space, I started to hear a new voice for the first time in my life.

My own.

The Gift Hidden in Resistance

Here's the truth no one tells you: Resistance is where transformation actually happens.

Answering The Call gets you started. But Resistance is where you build the strength you'll need for what comes next.

That year wasn't wasted. It was training.

I learned:

• How to sit with discomfort

• How to trust myself even when no one else did

• How to hear my own voice in the silence

• How to stop breaking off pieces of myself to make others comfortable

Resistance didn't break me. It built me.

Journal Entries from This Stage

Want to read more about my experience with Resistance? Check out these journal entries:

• Vol. 0, Issue #001 — "When the Silence Spoke" (The message that started the journey of self-discovery)

• Vol. 2, Issue #008 — "The Wilderness" (Facing doubt, critics, and uncharted territory)

Toolkit Resources to Support This Stage

• Strength Toolkit - Building resilience when everything feels hard

• Courage Toolkit - Finding the bravery to keep going

• Faith Toolkit - Trusting the process when you can't see the outcome

What Comes Next: Stage 3 - The Training

Once you push through Resistance, you enter The Training stage—where you actively build the habits, skills, and mindset you'll need for the journey ahead.

This is where the hero stops reacting and starts preparing.

Explore Stage 3: The Training →