Here we are in the middle of week four of the Master Key Experience. I find myself excited about the journey ahead. I am doing the work and I can already see small improvement in the areas that I am working on.

I need to share some of my true feelings. I am feeling Scared, Incapable, Insecure, and Resistant.

A lot of people see me speak at meetings and on stage and I am sure they think that I have it all together and things come easy for me. Not the case my friend.

Some of you know my story of being homeless with a raging cocaine addiction. If you don’t, ask me next time we chat and I will tell it to you. That was the summer of 1990 and at that point I knew I needed to make a change. What I have done so far has obviously not worked. I made a promise to myself that I would make a change and straighten out my life.

I found myself with the same feelings that I have now. Scared, Incapable, Insecure, and Resistant. At that time, I allowed those feelings to control my thinking and decisions. Thus, my sobriety date is 12/4/91. That’s right 18 months later.

I continued to struggle and ride the roller coaster of being clean and getting high for 18 months. The change for me was my 3rd sponsor. I fired the first two because I felt they were obviously bad sponsors if they couldn’t make me stay clean.

It was after a long tearful heart to heart talk with my sponsor that I realized that all I had to do was number one accept exactly where I am and number two take small consistent daily actions.

The first day, heck the first month was one, Don’t get high. Two, go to a meeting. Simple right? Uh no. That is what brings me to my topic today. Resistance.

I have learned that this is the first flag and if we can recognize it we have a short period to make an adjustment on our thinking. If we don’t then rationalization and justification set in. Oh, when those two monsters take over our thinking we are done.

I know you are probably thinking that I don’t have an addiction or a problem like that Ken but good for you. I am here to tell you that yes you do. There is something in your life that you want to change.

Don’t make me call you out on this. If you are still reading then I have struck a nerve and you want to know more. Let me share with you my current struggle. Do me this favor. Try to relate not compare. We are all children of God and we all struggle.

I find myself resisting the process. Much like I did nearly 32 years ago. That is what made me write this blog. I am digging up some old stuff that has been buried for a while. I get complacent and tend to just go with the flow.

This year I have made a commitment to step up my game and take my business to the next level instead of just be comfortable. I have committed to this 26 week mastermind to unlock my subconscious mind.

We all have heard it’s the key and most have read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill at least once, most of us a dozen times. Just reading the words doesn’t work just like reading the 12 steps doesn’t work. You must do the work.

It is simple but hard. There is a time commitment and I have to step out of my comfort zone. (Time to practice what you preach Coach.)

Here is my point. Today I am aware of my resistance. That doesn’t mean that I don’t have it. Today I choose not to let Justification and Rationalization control my thoughts and decisions. I am aware when I feel myself making excuses and skipping a day. I am aware when I feel myself justifying why I can’t do that today.

I am aware… and I make the shift. I pick up the phone and I call my accountability partner. I am aware, and I tell them what I am feeling. I know that they love me and they will not judge me. I am aware that I have control and the moment those feelings come up I can make a shift.

For today I challenge you to become aware. When you feel resistance to something, become aware. Once you become aware you have a short moment to make a shift. Do not let justification and rationalization control your thoughts and decisions. You can make the change. I believe in you.