Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Conversation with Resistance Part Deux

Une partie est ici. <---Find Part One there.

The first part of this conversation was very enlightening and as I promised, I would be back to continue it.

Me: Hey Resistance, I'm baaaack. First before I forget, that thing where I said, "I can do that," uhm yeah no I can't. And we'll just have to find some other way okay?!.
Resistance: Yeah I already knew it wasn't going to work, but I resisted telling you. See what I did there, hahaha.

Me: Yes I see and seriously you really do a good job. I actually didn't feel any shame AND I didn't mess up. Well I messed up a little bit by saying, 'yes I can do that'. You do rock sometimes. Maybe that's how we need to approach this.
Resistance: Huh?

Me: When do you you need to be here? When are you really, really helpful?
Resistance: I'm always helpful.

Me: You're helpful sometimes.
Resistance: So I'm not futile?

Me: No, not all the time.
Resistance: Tell me more.

Me: Like when I don't recognize the signs of a bad situation, you show up. I find you stopping me, helping me resist an action, an idea, a person, a place or what have you. Because I don't actually need it. It's unsafe, but I'm looking in the wrong direction and don't see that it's unsafe. I feel you then and you're really helpful.
Resistance: Yeah, but you don't always listen, so I have to stay and do what I can to get you to listen.

Me: Hmm, you're right. I don't always listen. I also realize it's those times when I feel you and don't listen that shame and messing up happen most frequently. So I need to listen during those times?
Resistance: Yeah, but you don't.

Me: Okay, so I'm listening to you now and let's see, is there a sign, a physical sign my body already has to let me know when it's necessary for me to listen to you?
Resistance: Sure, what you're feeling right now by listening to me.

Me: Mmhmm, so it feels like it's harder to breath, like my breastbones have grown closer together in the center of my chest and it's warm there. There is also an almost imperceptible pain behind my left eye.
Resistance: That chest thing is me. I am not a pain behind your eye. I know who IS though. Shame. Oh boy I'm gonna get worse, just thought I'd let you know because I called Shame out. Don't worry though, it's just a panic attack.

Me: [mumbling to self] All I have to do is remember to breath, deep in, long out, deeper in, long out...

...10 minutes later

Resistance: Hey, you're back, just doing my job, keep you away from shame.
Me: Yes, yes you are. Well Shame went back into hiding. So the focus is back on you.

Resistance: It is now but you weren't listening 10 mintues ago.
Me: I was listening, you were trying to protect me from shame right? Yet I had to know what you felt like when you were protecting me from shame. It's kind of tricky, but I was definitely listening.

Resistance: Writing out our conversation is going to bring shame. What if your friends find this?
Me: ...[sputtering] well...uh...[clearing throat] They might but they won't know it's me. Wow yeah there's shame again. It's a pen name. There I said it. I'm writing under a pen name so I can freely explore all this stuff and reveal as much as I need to reveal without revealing who they are or my real name. [Heaviness on chest eases even more.]

Resistance: [loud belly laughing eases off] Geez, I have kept you from writing haven't I and it's your own fault. All you had to do was say it was a pen name already, instead of being all aghast and dismayed surrounding the suggestion of using a pen name months and months ago with that bum marketing thing. [laughter starts up again]
Me: Yeah there were some issues with that - acceptance issues obviously, shame too, plus you, you were there.

Resistance: Mmhmmm, so now you know what physical sign I show up as, will you listen better starting right now?
Me: Will I listen better starting right now? Will you stop showing up when I want to write?

Resistance: Can I trust you to listen?
Me: Can I trust me to listen to my resistance when it shows up? I promise to practice, to actively practice.

Resistance: Then yes, I'll get out of the way when you want to write, but just so you know Shame is probably gonna show up, instead of me.
Me: Yeah, she probably is. Shame is a she isn't she? She and I are going to have a conversation at some point. Until then I'm glad you and I talked.

Resistance: I am too.

Resistance trots ten feet away and becomes a wonderful 1940' Club Chair with ottoman. I guess it figures we may need to sit together in the future.

Thanks for listening.

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