How I Pushed Through Resistance and Kept Moving Forward - And You Can Too!

In our Midlife Magic journey, we’ve embraced change and ridden the emotional rollercoaster. Now, we face an inevitable and challenging stage: resistance.

Just when you start to gain momentum on your new path, you may find yourself hitting a wall. This resistance can come from within, in the form of your own inner critic, or from external sources, like the well-meaning but misguided opinions of others. Learning to push through this resistance is the key to unlocking your next level of growth.

YOU CAN'T GIVE IN TO YOUR "INNER CRITIC"

After the initial excitement of starting my business wore off, I was met with a surprising amount of resistance. My family, who had been supportive in theory, started to express their concerns about my financial stability. Friends would hint that this could turn out to be a “risky” decision. But the loudest voice of resistance was my own. My inner critic, who had been quiet for a while, came back with a vengeance.

“Who do you think you are?” it would whisper.

“You’re not smart enough, or young enough, or talented enough to pull this off.”

The combination of internal and external pressure was immense, and there were days when I was tempted to give up and go back to my old, comfortable life.

Interested in hearing me talk about my own experience?

You can listen to a short audio HERE.

FIND YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM

The solution was twofold. First, I had to set firm boundaries with the people in my life. I lovingly but clearly told them that I appreciated their concern, but I needed their support, not their doubt. Second, I had to find a way to quiet my inner critic. I did this by creating a “brag file,” a collection of all the positive feedback I had ever received. Whenever my inner critic would start to spiral, I would read through my brag file to remind myself of my strengths and accomplishments. I also found a community of other female entrepreneurs who understood my struggles and celebrated my wins. This support system became my lifeline, a constant source of encouragement and motivation.

It’s important to remember that prioritizing yourself and your dreams can be a radical act, and it can make people uncomfortable. We live in a world where women are often expected to put everyone else’s needs before their own. A recent survey found that nearly 70% of midlife women spend less than five hours a week on their own needs, self-care, and hobbies [1]. That’s less than an hour a day. When we start to claim more time and energy for ourselves, it can disrupt the status quo and trigger resistance from those around us. Furthermore, with 80% of OB/GYNs being untrained in menopause, many women are already accustomed to having their needs and experiences dismissed by authority figures [2]. This can make it even harder to stand firm in our choices when faced with external pressure.

FIND YOUR INNER RESILIENCE

Pushing through resistance is not about being aggressive or confrontational. It’s about having a quiet confidence in your own vision and a fierce commitment to your own well-being. It’s about learning to be your own best advocate and surrounding yourself with people who lift you higher. This stage of Midlife Magic is where you build your resilience, where you learn to trust yourself implicitly, and where you prove to yourself that you are capable of overcoming any obstacle that stands in your way.

When you are ready to push through resistance, it's nice to know your own starting point. If you are interested in getting some insights into your own Midlife journey, you can take my complimentary Midlife Quiz HERE.

#OvercomingFear #MidlifeMotivation #KeepGoing #Resilience #Breakthrough