The Journaling Muse – Issue #41: When Resistance Speaks, Listen Softly
A soft space to reflect, reconnect, and create with feeling.
My intention is to help you slow down and soothe your nervous system — through colour, texture, and expressive journaling that speaks gently to your inner world.
Dear Reader
As the holidays approach, I find myself facing resistance again. Every time I plan to share or sell my paintings, a familiar voice shows up.
Suddenly, the photos aren’t ready, the website needs fixing, or I decide it’s just not the right time.
For years, I thought this meant I wasn’t disciplined enough.
But I’ve learned to see this resistance differently.
It’s not sabotage.
It’s protection.
A quiet whisper asking, “Are you sure you’ll be safe if you step forward?”
This Week's Reflection — Your Protective Partner
Resistance checks the edges of our comfort zone when we grow.
We don’t need to fight it — only to listen.
Sometimes, it only wants reassurance that we’ll move gently —
not rush before our wings are ready.
Take a moment to pause and ask:
Where is resistance speaking up in my life right now?
Journaling Prompts — A Dialogue with Your Resistance
Try writing a short letter or dialogue.
Let your resistance speak first, then answer with compassion.
1️⃣ Identify the Voice: What specific project or step is my resistance speaking about right now?
2️⃣ Uncover the Why: What is it trying to protect — my safety, comfort, or a part of my identity?
3️⃣ Listen for Wisdom: If it could speak freely, what genuine concern or warning would it offer?
4️⃣ Find a Way Forward: How can I thank it for its care while still choosing to grow?
5️⃣ Feel the Shift: When I listen instead of push, what new energy begins to move?
Creative Play — Let Your Resistance Breathe
Give your awareness a creative form. Pick one simple practice:
- Emotion Mapping
Draw a circle and color sections for each feeling tied to your resistance — fear, hope, doubt, excitement.
- Word & Image Collage
Tear out magazine words and images that represent both the tension and the ease you seek.
- Comfort Drawing
Sketch the simplest thing that makes you feel calm — a cup of tea, a favorite blanket, the light in your studio.
Let it become a symbol of safety.
Small creative acts don’t erase resistance —
they give it space to breathe while you keep moving.
Closing
This week, I want to leave you with a painting rather than words.
To me, it feels like what happens
when resistance finally exhales
and light finds its way through again.
Cheering on You,
Beáta
P.S. As I begin to dream up next year’s Journaling Muse letters, I’d love to know what themes call to you most right now.
🌿 Analog healing & sensory journaling
💫 Writing through the body
🌍 Nature & emotional rewilding
🔮 Art, travel & the spirit of place
🕊️ Radical stability & inner sanctuary
You can simply hit reply and share one or two that feel most alive for you —
your reflections always shape where the Muse wanders next.
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No matter what you choose, I’m thankful our paths have touched. 🌿
