Today’s Offering: Resist Resistance

Resistance often

takes the form of fear to

block us from our goals

Here’s a picture I took of gorgeous fall foliage in Fairmount Park. I totally love this time of year, especially because it is my birthday season. Last week I took some time to celebrate. Which to me means time for peace and quiet. Every year I take time to read, write, pray, give thanks, practice my music, reflect, take long walks, go out for a nice jog here and there, take photos, work outside in my yard, meditate and more or less catch up to myself.  Then, once I’m restored, I’m happy to get together with family and friends.

My first day off I gave Denys a call during my walk to the track. I reminded her the next day was my birthday. We laughed. We have this long standing joke. Even though we have been friends for decades, and were born in the same month of the same year, I’m always reminding her when my birthday comes. And more often than not, I’m reminding her when her birthday comes too.  She was about to go into a meeting, so our conversation was cut short.

Then I opened up YouTube on my smart phone, where I had cued up MarieForleo’s vlog post about six so-called health foods that should be avoided. Then I went down the rabbit hole of marie.tv and stumbled onto her interview with Steven Pressfield. Marie had a dog-eared, much-loved, marked up copy of his book, “The War of Art.” 


It was all about the force of resistance, how it works against us. Doubt. Procrastination. Self-Sabotage. Fear. All one thing, according to Pressfield. And that thing is resistance. Marie said how much of a profound impact the book had on her.

Wow. I was intrigued. It was a great interview. I thought, maybe I’ll buy the book, but then I told myself, “Pheralyn, you have shelves full of self-help books. No more. Just continue to be encouraged. Stay on your schedule. Someday you’ll get there. You’ll see. You’ve read all the advice, it’s all the same. Law of attraction this – affirmation that – visualization the other….” By now I was at the track, getting my run in. It was a brilliant day. I felt great.

When I got home I checked my email and there was a message from Denys marked “Happy Birthday.” I opened it up to find she had sent me an eBook: “You will love this book - "The War of Art." The synchronicity was so magical I sat down and read the entire book in one sitting. And Denys was right: I loved it!

A veritable manifesto for artists, entrepreneurs or anyone trying to achieve their higher calling, “The War of Art” eloquently explains how resistance interferes with our lives and wreaks havoc on reaching our aspirations. Prior to last week , I had never heard of Steven Pressfield. Then suddenly he was everywhere in my in-box.  I even caught a segment he taped with Oprah on her Super Soul Sunday program. That too was awe-inspiring and enlightening.

Listening to Steven Pressfield made me think about how I experienced a breakthrough with my writing this summer and how grateful I am to have a good rhythm going. Part of my birthday reflections were centered on my goal to finally complete several creative projects. Some of them have been languishing for years. "The War of Art" came as a particularly sterling confirmation, vindicating the path I am on in this journey called life. Now I can see the light. Thanks, Marie Forleo, Denys and Oprah for leading me to Steven Pressfield. You may want to check him out too. Find out more about this ominous force called resistance. And remember:

Resistance often

takes the form of fear to

block us from our goals

Asante Sana

Peace and Blessings Always