It’s a Journey, Not a Race

If your path to healing feels like a back-and-forth dance—you’re not alone. The real journey is non-linear, and that’s where the magic lives.

The Truth About the Journey No One Talks About

We live in a world that glorifies fast progress and straight lines. If you start a new routine, set a boundary, or begin therapy, you're expected to just... get better. To level up. To improve without stalling.

But life doesn't work that way.

The truth? Growth isn’t linear.

It doesn’t move in predictable steps. It curves, spirals, and sometimes doubles back. It includes days of progress and nights where everything feels like it’s falling apart.

And that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be.

Real Growth Looks Like This

If you've ever felt like you're doing well one week and falling apart the next, I want you to know: you're not failing. You're unfolding.

Growth looks like:

• Finally speaking up for yourself, then crying afterward because it felt scary.
• Journaling for three days straight, then ignoring it for a week.
• Feeling proud of your progress—until one trigger makes it all feel undone.

This isn’t weakness. This is the journey. And the ups and downs? They’re evidence that you’re engaging with your healing. You’re not stuck—you’re processing.

Setbacks Are Part of the Map

We tend to view setbacks as failures. As if one off day means we’re starting over. But setbacks are not the opposite of progress—they're a part of it.

Think about hiking. You don’t climb straight up a mountain. You switch directions. You hit rocky paths. You stop to rest. And sometimes, you even turn around to find a safer route.

That doesn’t mean you’ve failed the hike—it means you’re adapting.

So why do we expect our emotional and personal journey to be a straight, flawless line?

A Personal Moment of Clarity

Let me share something real.

A few months ago, I was in what I thought was my “breakthrough” phase. I was consistent with therapy, eating right, journaling, and showing up for myself.

Then something happened—a small disappointment that spiraled into anxiety. I stopped all my routines. I cried for days. I felt like I was back to square one.

But when I paused to look deeper, I saw that I was responding differently. I wasn’t self-destructing like before. I was feeling things fully. And eventually, I reached out for support—something I never used to do.

That wasn’t regression. That was progress in disguise.

Embracing the Messy Middle

There’s power in the messy middle of any story.

It’s where we confront old beliefs.

It’s where we learn to sit with discomfort.

It’s where we start giving ourselves grace instead of pressure.

So, if you’re somewhere in between breakdown and breakthrough right now, you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.

This is your becoming.

This is the journey.

What You Can Do When It Feels Like Too Much

Here are a few reminders for when the ups and downs start to feel overwhelming:

• Pause without guilt. Rest is not a step back—it's a step inward.
• Track progress in feelings, not results. Emotional resilience is progress.
• Celebrate the small wins. Some days, getting out of bed is a victory.
• Ask for help. That’s strength, not weakness.

• Remember, you are not alone. We’re all walking our own crooked, beautiful paths.

You’re Still Becoming

You’re not late.

You’re not broken.

You’re on a timeline that was never meant to match anyone else’s.

The journey is yours—and it’s valid, beautiful, and enough, even when it’s hard to see.

So take a deep breath. Keep going. You’re doing better than you think.

Read the full blog: It’s a Journey, Not a Race: Embracing Growth’s Ups and Downs

What part of your journey are you in right now?

Comment below or share your story. It might be exactly what someone else needs to hear today.

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