Progress Isn’t Linear—But It’s Still Progress

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”

— Jon Kabat-Zinn

"You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf."

I’ve been grinding—really grinding. The hours of inner work are paying off: my body feels stronger, my mind clearer, and the podcast is really finding its stride. Opportunities keep appearing, and every message you send reminds me this little corner of the internet matters. Your encouragement has become rocket fuel—proof that our shared stories resonate and none of us are alone.

But here’s the messy truth: progress isn’t linear, and lately my path looks more like a scribble. Old habits creep in. The meditation cushion gathers dust, my running shoes sit untouched, and the yoga mat is starting to curl at the edges from neglect. Convenience food wins too many dinners, and my thoughts—those sneaky narrators—rehash yesterday instead of living today. I’m slipping, hoping for yesterday’s gains without today’s effort, and it shows.

I’ve lost more sleep than I care to admit replaying every misstep—lecturing myself for each skipped workout, every fast-food detour, every anxious spiral. But here’s the breakthrough: when I notice that harsh inner monologue, I’ve already started to disarm it. Awareness flips on the light, and suddenly the monsters shrink. That’s my cue to trade self-scolding for self-kindness—to meet those stumbles with grace, compassion, and forgiveness. I will slip up; that’s a guarantee. What matters is that each slip becomes a stepping-stone. Failure, reframed, is just information for growth—and growth is why I’m here.

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