Have you ever procrastinated? I have and will tell you all about it … maybe tomorrow though.

We all procrastinate more often than we like to admit. But if we spend a few moments to consider this process of procrastination, we might actually find what is at the root of our tendency to put things off.

Procrastination is a habitual way of dealing with resistance – resistance towards dealing with tasks and experiences that we don’t want to do and don’t like to experience. It is important to remember that our life unfolds in a moment-by-moment fashion. Some of those moments are comfortable and pleasant, while other moments are uncomfortable and unpleasant. It is understandable why we have a desire to prolong the pleasant moments and a strong urge to minimise/avoid the unpleasant – but by doing so we are missing part of the full experience of life.

Practising mindfulness enables you to be fully present in all moments of your life, pleasant or unpleasant.

Our culture favours the self-soothing approach

What often happens without us really being aware is that our brain (out of habit, not necessity) anticipates for us what will be an unpleasant moment before it actually happens, and engages our resistance mechanism to avoid the uncomfortable. Immediately, we feel we don’t want to go there – wherever there is.

Resistance is neither good nor bad, but sets in motion a tension (most strongly felt in the body) which we always try to resolve by doing something about it.

So, what do we do to resolve this tension? We either self-sooth and/or practice mindfulness. Our culture favours the self-soothing approach. We’ll have a cup of tea, reach for the biscuit tin, do our more favoured tasks around the farm/home – things that make us feel comfortable. This approach allows the tension to dissipate, but only temporarily because the task we are resisting still awaits our attention. Perhaps we resist it but we do it anyway: absentmindedly, begrudgingly or in a wholly detached way. Job done, but resistance still intact.

When we practice mindfulness, we turn towards the resistance, we do not shy away from it. This approach is initially difficult, so be kind to yourself as you try to find a more skillful way to deal with this part of everyday life. It will ultimately free up more time than it consumes.

Mindfulness Exercise

The first step when you find yourself procrastinating (even about this exercise) is to notice your resistance. Firstly, the physical feeling of resistance – tense shoulders, restriction in your chest, a general feeling of heaviness, a desire to grab some comfort food/drinks, to move or to do anything other than stay with the experience of this moment of resistance.

Now notice the non-physical effects of resistance – the negative thoughts, feelings, emotions that are spurred by this resistance. This is stupid, I don’t like this, I can’t do it, I failed the last time I tried! Notice them, but do not get caught up with them as they can easily lead you away from your intention. Stay present, just noticing what is happening in your body and mind at that moment.

The next step is to stop fighting this resistance. It can sometimes be helpful to say to yourself “resistance is here” and then, after a few moments, try releasing it, “resistance is leaving now”.

Do not try to force it, but try to enter gently into whatever it is you are resisting in this moment. This is not an easy practice initially but it will be worth it.

Physical Exercise

This month, I’m asking you to try change a habit, just to prove to yourself that you can. It’s a relatively simple exercise, but you might notice a lot of resistance towards it. When resistance shows up, you know what to do.

I’m asking you to sit in a different chair – that’s it. You can try this at home when alone and having a cup of tea, at meal times or while watching the TV. Try sitting in a different chair in the staff room, canteen or coffee shop you attend regularly. If you attend mass, try a different side of the church, or a different bar stool in the pub.

Notice the change in your perspective when you sit somewhere else. Notice the things you do not normally see from this new perspective. It’s a very simple exercise, but very enlightening.

Something to Ponder

My mother often told me a story about “an auld ass” her family owned when she was a child. As we know, asses are notoriously stubborn – they will not move until they decide to move.

One day, my mother wanted the ass to carry some wood to their neighbour’s house, so she loaded up the ass and holding on to the reins, began to walk in front of it. The ass was not in the mood and stood firmly where he was. Of course, my mother, being an impetuous child, began to pull gently on the reins to get the ass moving, but the ass resisted. As my mother’s impatience increased, so did the force of her tugging on the reins and, in turn, the ass’s resistance to movement. In effect, they were stuck.

My grandmother, without a word, came out to my mother, took her by the hand and positioned her beside the ass and then said: “Stand beside the ass a stór, show him the way you want to go and when he’s ready, he will go with you.” Within minutes, they were on their way.

Remember, resistance is inevitable and relentless – notice it in your day as a way of untangling yourself from it. The moment you are aware of it, you are mindful and have created a little buffer between yourself and the resistance. Whatever resistance is for you, do not put it off until tomorrow – that’s just the subtle voice of resistance talking.

Every moment is an opportunity to step forward into the life you want to live.

For more practical mindfulness exercises, visit Catherine Callaghan Yoga on YouTube.

For information on Catherine’s yoga and mindfulness classes for women, men and children in the Carlow/Wexford region, visit Yoga With Catherine Callaghan on Facebook.

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Mindfulness with Catherine Callaghan