Yes, You Are Making Progress

On my to-do list right now is to enjoy having my daughter home, work on my book, and keep biking. I have another bike event this weekend, so I’ve been preparing for that. I was nervous that being away for my daughter’s graduation and not riding would affect my abilities, but I was pleasantly surprised when I rode last week. I felt stronger, and recognized that the hills I struggled to get up not that long ago weren’t as hard as I remembered. Sometimes a little break can be beneficial.

That’s because you can’t always see your progress while you’re in the thick of things. 

I’m trying to help my son with his mindset when he’s not getting better as fast as he’d like to. I don’t blame him for being frustrated - it is frustrating when you aren’t getting the results as fast as you like, but I’ve learned that health is a lifelong journey. 

Don't Give Up Yet

Unfortunately, sometimes that journey looks a lot like climbing a mountain, the kind that makes your legs and lungs burn… and makes you question why you ever wanted to climb the mountain in the first place. At some point, you stop and ask yourself, “Should I just give up?”

And that’s when someone right behind you says, “Take ten more steps. You can’t see it, but you’re almost at the top.” You hesitate.  You don’t believe it.  But you take those ten steps. And when you do? You break through the clouds–and there it is: the view that makes it all worth it.

Here's What Progress Looks Like

Even if you can't see it right now, if you're taking steps in the right direction, you will see progress (eventually). While you're taking those steps, though, your progress can look like:

→ You don’t feel yourself getting stronger after one workout.

→ You don’t notice your endurance improving after one run.

→ You don’t see your body change after one healthy meal.

→ You don’t realize your confidence is growing with every small choice.

But then one day, you notice…

→ You pick up a weight that used to feel impossible.

→ You run a 5k without stopping.

→ Your jeans that used to be tight now fit perfectly.

→ Decisions that used to take willpower, now happen automatically.

The work has been paying off all along.  You just didn’t see it happening!

If you feel like you’re doing everything right but not seeing results fast enough…trust the process. Enjoy the journey (and your LIFE!), because that’s what it’s all about, anyway. And if you need some help seeing the forest for the trees, I'm always here to help.