Noticing and Naming Resistance — Your Inner GPS

watson2wellness
Jul 29
3 min read

“You can observe a lot by just watching.” — Yogi Berra

Change is messy. Resistance is sneaky. And your thoughts? They’re not always playing for Team You.

That’s where the practice of Noticing and Naming comes in. It’s not about forcing change or “fixing” yourself. It’s about sharpening your awareness so you can see what’s happening, and then decide—with clarity—what to do next.

🔍 What is “Noticing and Naming”?

It's the act of paying attention to your direct experience, without judgment, and labeling it with words that make sense to you. You’re tuning in to three types of sensations:

Physical sensations — Tight chest? Butterflies? Sleepy limbs?
Thought sensations — Scripts running in your head, stories, judgments.
Emotional sensations — Frustration, anxiety, joy, pride.

Instead of reacting automatically, you pause. Observe. Call it what it is. That pause is power.

💥 Why Resistance Shows Up During Change

Change disrupts the familiar. And your primal brain loves familiar.

That’s why, when you try something new—like eating slowly at every meal—you might hear thoughts like:

“I’m too busy for this.”
“This is weird. People will think it’s weird.”
“This won’t work.”

Those are resistance voices. They’re not villains—they’re trying to keep you “safe.” But safe isn’t the same as growth.

Noticing these thoughts is your first step to loosening their grip. You don’t have to “fix” them. Just observe them. Give them a name. Start the conversation.

🗣️ Making Sense with Words: Why Naming Matters

Naming what you feel isn’t just helpful—it’s foundational. It’s the moment your swirling sensations start to take shape. It’s how you say to yourself, “This is real. This is happening. And I understand it.”

Humans make sense of the world through language. When you label an experience—whether it’s tension in your shoulders or a buzzing swirl of anxious thoughts—you bring your intellectual brain into the process. That shift from vague discomfort to a named experience often brings physical ease and emotional clarity.

🔎 The Challenge: Finding the Right Words

Of course, finding the right word can be tricky.

You need a label that feels accurate to you.
It has to reflect your true experience, not what you think you should feel.
And that might be hard if your emotional vocabulary feels limited right now.

The good news? You don’t have to do it alone.

📚 Many people (coaches included 😉) have been collecting, exploring, and expanding words for a long time.
🌀 Tools like an emotion wheel can give you a starting point to discover new labels and test them out.

Try naming sensations as an experiment. If a label feels off, pay attention—your body will often signal discomfort. Adjust the word and notice how your experience shifts with it.

🧭 How to Practice Noticing and Naming

Here’s what it looks like, in practice:

Pause when things feel smooth or sticky. Notice when movement feels effortless… or like a slog.
Use descriptive language. “My stomach feels tight like I just got bad news.” “It feels like dragging a sled uphill in slush.”
Keep practicing. Learn your patterns. Over time, you build your personal manual: “This is me when I’m stuck.” “This is me when I’m thriving.”

🛠 Use This Tool When Things Feel Off

Ever ask yourself...

Why am I eating directly out of this peanut butter jar again?
Why am I struggling to get outside and move?
Why can’t I relax even though I have time?
Why do I feel stuck even when I know what I “should” do?

Good news: You’re not broken. Every action is an attempt to solve a problem. You just might not have named the right problem yet.

Use this practice to get closer to the truth of that moment—so your next step makes sense.

💬 Words Help Make Sense

Naming sensations turns the fuzz into form. It links your primal instinct (feeling) with your executive function (thinking). When those systems align, your next action feels deliberate and self-directed.

Start with simple words. Borrow from emotion wheels. Try them on like clothes. Adjust if needed.