21. Whats Stopping You From Taking Action

After washing the dinner dishes one night, I laid on the couch for a rest and started to scroll on my phone. You know, how most people do. 

However, on this night, restlessness was creeping up hard and the inner voice inside of me became so loud and impossible to ignore. It was telling her that despite having just cooked dinner for my son and I, cleaning up, and after working all day at my 9 to 5, despite all of that, it was TIME to get to work on my dreams and goals. 

That inner voice used to be a whisper. It was easy to push down, to ignore. I could pour a glass of wine, watch Netflix, and even do productive night time things. As time passed though, that inner voice became louder and louder. Then, one day this thought popped in my head: “I don’t want to be the woman that quits.”

"I don’t want to be that woman who quits." That resonated within my mind. 

Not only do I not want to be that woman who quits, but I don't want to be the one who quits for… a nap? A glass of wine? A tv show? When I'm 70, I will not look back and think, "well, I could have lived that life of my dreams, but I was tired. I really wanted a glass of wine and to watch Netflix. So, I quit."

OMFG. HELLLLL NO. 

So, I rolled up my sleeves, sat down and I faced my work. Not the laundry, or the 9-5. No, I sat down and got to work on my passion. My dreams. My big goals. I took the next step. I continue to do this week after week. 

You have a dream. We all do. Whether you are ready to admit or not, you have one. How many times have you taken a step or two, stopped and quit? 

How frustrating is this? Ever person has faced this. This is a universal experience. You can relax and give yourself grace. Let go of the guilt for quitting in the past. 

You quit because of fear and resistance.

How can you persevere, and make progress on your goals and dreams, and create that intentional life in the face of resistance?

At the end of the day, what you need to do is to be very strategic about the input you allow into your mind. What books are you listening to? What are you reading? What media are you consuming? Who are you interacting with? How are you evolving?

When I first noticed that inner voice inside nudging me to go after something bigger, it was a whisper. It was easy to silence through the endless distractions of every day life. However, I knew I yearned for something more. 

So, I thought, "how can I train my mind to stay focused?" I began to take walks and listen to audiobooks. Daily. I also read books after work or on breaks throughout the day. I was spending tons of time reading and listening, maybe 1-2 hours per day. 

This made a massive difference because I became so self-aware of my own thoughts, mindset and development. I truly began to become the observer of my own thoughts. 

4 Steps to Take to Move Past Fear & Resistance and Take Consistent Action

1. Immediately unfollow all accounts on social media that do not spark joy. These can be people, businesses, brands, news sites, etc. Unfollow them all. 

2. Start listening to audiobooks if you don’t already. Listen to them while you do other things, such as driving, cooking, cleaning, walking etc. 

3. Read The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

4. Incorporate a daily mindset practice such as journaling or meditation to become more aware of your thoughts. Bonus if you do both. Truly understand that all of the temptations and distractions that you have to do something other than what your heart TRULY years and desires, to create your dream life, are all forms of resistance and fear. It is your job to understand this, recognize this when it’s happening, and move through it. Do your work anyway.

You have to! What is the alternative? Netflix and wine and a needle that hasn’t moved in 30 years?

Download the free e-book: 18 Empowering Journal Prompts for Solo Moms

Follow Her One Thing on Instagram