Ah, the spring clean. You may be aware of my hoarding tendencies, so for me this year’s is more than just an annual tidy-up — it’s a re-emergence, a sloughing off of the old to create space for the new.

Easter vacation was spent ‘sorting’: dealing with boxes and collections, some 30 years old. But I rather misjudged how long it would take, the bookshelves are months overdue and I’ve managed to throw out my back so carrying boxes is excruciating. It hasn’t quite gone according to plan.

It looks like a nuclear bombsite, worse than it did before. So now, amid the devastation and disheartening state I’m surrounded by, I have to keep reminding myself that all too often, things get worse before they get better.

Have you ever noticed that often when we make the step towards positive change it can feel like things are against us, as if conspiring to keep us stuck in the old place?

You finally make a decision to adopt that healthy eating plan and suddenly you’re invited to two booze-up parties laden with all the very things you are trying to avoid? Or you got up the courage to book that training programme that’s going to transform your career and suddenly your best friend announces their wedding on that weekend, or someone falls sick so you feel torn about going? Just when the universe seems to be aligning in your direction, it then throws you a curve ball. Is it a sign to quit?

No. I say it’s usually a sign that you’re moving in the right direction. It is just drag. Remember ‘fluid dynamics’ from physics class? Drag is ‘the forces acting opposite to the relative motion of any object moving’. These setbacks we experience are like our metaphorical wind resistance as we are trying to take off from where we’ve been stationary, or perhaps stuck.

Creativity coach Samantha Bennett calls these Helena Handbag moments — which I just love — or transformation-induced chaos if you want to sound fancy. She describes them as a test: a test of how much we want what we are after, and an opportunity to tap into our personal strength and our resolve.

Awareness is key. Knowing that we will likely face some resistance as we start to create change for ourselves allows us to be prepared and perhaps pre-empt negativity where possible.

Working in partnership with others, or at the very least telling others our plan, creates accountability which can help keep us on track if things start to hit the fan. And focusing on ourselves and what we truly want and need will also guide our decision-making to follow through on our endeavours toward positive change. Yes we want friendships/relationships/a good time/certainty … but not at the expense of ourselves.

Taking care and being true to ourselves is not selfish, it’s necessity. And even though it might get hard, and it seems there’s no end to the boxes to unpack, dawn is just around the corner … so keep going.

Julia Pitt is a trained success coach and certified NLP practitioner on the team at Benedict Associates. For further information contact Julia on 705-7488, www.juliapittcoaching.com.