When you have the energy, but something is in the way

You want to get on with your work, but everything feels harder than it should. You start, stop, change your mind or find yourself getting frustrated. There is energy there, yet using it feels like a struggle.

In Cohera, Resistant gives you a way to name that experience. From there, the Journal offers space to look a little closer: what are you feeling, and what has been happening around it?

Find the feeling within the resistance

Some feelings commonly associated with resistance include frustration, anxiety, restlessness, doubt and a sense of forcing things. Cohera’s Journal offers these words to help you reflect. Choose what feels familiar; you might recognise more than one.

These words can help you describe something more clearly than “I’m having a difficult day.” Feeling doubtful about your work may call for a different response from feeling frustrated with how much you have taken on.

You can also notice how you feel physically. Perhaps your shoulders are tense, or sitting still feels uncomfortable. There is no need to decide what a sensation means; it can simply be part of what you record.

Give the feeling some context

You don’t need a long journal entry or a complete explanation. A few honest words can give you somewhere to begin.

Try one of these prompts:

• What happened before I began feeling this way? Think about a conversation, an interruption or an expectation that stayed with you.
• What feels difficult right now? Describe the part you keep returning to, avoiding or trying to force.
• What do I need that I haven’t made room for? It could be time, clarification, support or a break.

You may notice a connection, or you may still be unsure. You can leave that uncertainty in the entry too.

Notice your usual response, then consider another option

Understanding where you are gives you a chance to choose what comes next. Notice what you usually do when this feeling appears, and whether that response is helping you today.

Sometimes, trying something different can interrupt a familiar pattern:

• If you usually push through, consider resting without making yourself earn the break. Feeling resistance doesn’t mean you need to try harder.
• If you usually put it off or turn to something else, consider staying with the discomfort for a little while, if it feels manageable, and taking one small step towards what matters to you.

You don’t have to do the opposite every time. The point is to give yourself a choice, rather than automatically repeating the same response.

In your Journal, you could finish with: “I would usually… Today, I could try…”

Recognising the pattern is a useful beginning. Your next step can be a small experiment in responding differently.