Decisions by Design | Edition 14

What Resistance Reveals.

In electrical engineering, resistance is the property that slows or stops the flow of current. It is neither good nor bad on its own. Sometimes, it’s trying to protect the system from overload. Other times, it’s blocking energy from moving where it is needed most.

Human resistance works the same way. It is an internal opposition that surfaces when change, growth, or discomfort threatens our sense of safety, identity, or control.

It's an indication that we are operating incorrectly. 

We often feel it first in our bodies:
Tight shoulders. Headaches. A heavy chest.

And we hear it in our emotions:
Frustration. Anger. Resentment. Disappointment.

These emotions serve as dashboard light indicators, signaling that something beneath the surface wants our attention. More often than not, resistance points back to a decision where we said "yes" to something that was a quiet, embodied "no".

When we meet this resistance with radical curiosity rather than judgment, something shifts. The tightness begins to soften. Energy starts to flow again. What once felt like an obstacle becomes a catalyst for growth, healing, and clarity.

This is the Experiment

• Instead of overriding resistance, track it. 
• Unpack it.
• Follow the breadcrumbs back to the moment of misalignment.
  

When we treat resistance as data, it becomes a tool for recalibration and truth-seeking.

Emotions as Dashboard Lights

Emotions are not static. They are essentially energy in motion, moving through the body to signal what is aligned and what is not. Emotional intelligence begins with naming what we feel. Energy intelligence is learning to listen to what that feeling is trying to tell us.

• Frustration signals blocked energy or unmet expectations.
• Anger reveals a boundary crossed or autonomy is breached.
• Resentment points to unspoken agreements or overextension.
• Disappointment highlights where reality and desire diverged.
  

When we meet these emotions with awareness rather than judgment, we build a bridge between the emotional signal and the energetic flow beneath it. This is where emotional intelligence and energy intelligence intersect. One names the feeling. The other decodes its message.

Emotional Awareness in the Relational Field

Resistance is not only something we experience internally. When we are attuned, it is something we can easily perceive in others.

A clipped tone. A long pause. A tightening jaw. A subtle withdrawal.

These are the often unspoken signals.
Moments when someone else’s energy is indicating a "no", even if their words say "yes".

This kind of awareness is about consciously observing others.
It is about listening deeply to energy, emotion, and the spaces between words.

When we learn to hold this kind of noticing with neutrality, we create space for truth to surface in conversations, teams, and relationships.

For Contemplation

• Where am I currently feeling resistance in my body or emotions?
• What decision might this resistance be pointing me back to?
• What truth or boundary have I overridden in saying "yes" to something that was really a "no"?
• Where might I be sensing unspoken resistance in others, and how can I meet it with curiosity rather than reaction?

In Closing 

Resistance is not the problem. It’s the language your energy uses to tell you something is off. When we learn to observe it, resistance transforms from a barrier into a powerful guide back to alignment.

Until Next Time. 

With Clarity and Care, 

Courtney