If someone walked up and started pushing you, you'd push back without thinking.

That's not a character flaw. Humans are wired to resist. But just because it's natural doesn't mean it's helpful.

Father Mike Schmitz put it this way: "Resistance is anything we do to get in our own way to keep us from doing something that scares us."

That reframe changes everything. Resistance isn't just instinct, it's actually a signal. If you're feeling it, you're probably on the verge of doing something that matters. So the trick isn't to make it go away. The trick is to embrace it and push through it.

Here's a simple technique: two words.

That mindset shift can change your behavior. Once you shed the resistance, you open the door to action. And action is the key to progress and learning.

So the only question to ask yourself today is, when you feel the urge to resist, can you pause and say, “thank you”?

P.S. Today is the 275th episode of the Optimistic Outlook, which is also a podcast! Leaving a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts.