I've often heard the adage, "what you resist persists", and perhaps you have, too. Ironically, sometimes I find myself resisting this message, because I've heard it so many times that it's become a cliche to me. Obviously, I'm demonstrating how this saying is persisting in my life because of my resistance to it!

However, when I let go of my reaction to hearing this message, yet again, and listen to what it's trying to tell me, there's usually something valuable there. It often leads me to a more conscious awareness of the mental and emotional patterns of resistance that are affecting my business and other parts of my life at that moment.

Like any act of creation, creating a business is not merely a physical, external act. It's also, largely, an internal process that engages the deepest levels of your psyche. This is why the sixth step of inspired business planning is so important: clearing inner resistance that comes up as you make and implement your plan to build your wellness business.

Resistance and Your Business

"Whatever we believe becomes true for us. Perhaps you're not even aware of your belief. Most people aren't. They just see the outer circumstances as the way the cookie crumbles. Until someone can show you the connection between the outer experiences and the inner thoughts, you remain a victim in life."

-- Louise Hay

If you look in the dictionary, you'll find numerous definitions for "resistance." More interesting are the synonyms you'll find in a thesaurus that truly capture the essence of the word: "fight, struggle, combat, defiance, obstruction, impediment, hindrance."

From a psychological and emotional perspective, resistance is a belief, thought and accompanying feeling that obstructs your natural state of well-being. This type of resistance can be subtle, but can wreak havoc on your business.

For example, you can have the most brilliant strategy to build your business, but if you're carrying fear-based, negative beliefs, thoughts and feelings, you may sabotage the implementation of your strategy. You may "under-commit" to your success, procrastinate on taking action, take action ineffectively, play "small" or not value your services and your time, amongst other things. Inner resistance may even prevent you from creating a business plan in the first place.

Some of the more common, scarcity-based, limiting beliefs and resulting feelings that can impede your business's progress are:

- believing you're not "enough" - not good enough, smart enough, skilled enough, knowledgeable enough;

- believing you don't deserve to be successful and receive an abundant income;

- believing it's "unspiritual" for a healer like yourself to make an abundant income from your services and products;

- believing and/or fearing that you can't make an abundant income as an entrepreneur with your own wellness business;

- believing it's hard to attract clients;

- believing people won't see the value of your services and products and, therefore, won't willingly pay what you charge;

- believing people can't afford to pay you and that there's not enough money "out there" (general, lack-oriented beliefs);

- believing you have to work really, really hard, put in long hours and "suffer" for your income; and

- feelings of fear, pessimism, frustration, impatience, disappointment, doubt, worry, discouragement, insecurity, unworthiness and powerlessness.

Lightening Your Load

"To offer no resistance to life is to be in a state of grace, ease, lightness."

-- Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

The good news is that once you know what resistant mental and emotional patterns are affecting your business, you have the power to transform them. You can uncover these patterns by paying attention to the way you feel as you think about your business and take action; negative emotion is always an indicator of resistance. If you tune into your inner wisdom and follow a negative emotion to its source, chances are you'll find the limiting belief or thought behind it.

To do this may require that you carve out some "quiet time" in your schedule to be with yourself, your feelings and your thoughts. If you can do this right in the moment when you're experiencing a negative emotion, it's even better. Sit with your eyes closed and tune into the emotion, allowing it to exist without resisting it. As you feel the emotion, ask yourself, "what's the thought that has triggered this feeling in me?"

Once you're aware of the feelings and beliefs that are affecting you and your business, you can take steps to release and clear them. There are many fantastic tools available to help you do this, including the Sedona Method, Emotional Freedom Technique, Tapas Acupressure Technique and ThetaHealing.

You were born with unlimited potential that you can express in any area of your life, including your business. Releasing the inner patterns that are holding you and your business back will unleash this potential and allow you to experience more joy, satisfaction and success. So start clearing and watch your business soar!

Copyright 2008 Mary C. Davis