There have been days on this journey in which my wheels have spun in the mud with what feels like little or no progress in life. And I’ve found this to be more true following periods of growth in which I’ve gained ground over the last few months. I’m told, however, that this is the way growth goes—periods of intense forward movement give way to periods of what seems like stagnation. It’s in those moments when discouragement desires to overtake that reminding myself that no one really ever goes backward is of utmost importance. It may feel like a standstill or setback given new obstacles in my path or a new layer to get through; but the hard work cannot be undone.

Every step on this journey is meaningful, and even one that seems to take me backwards is a forward step in the sense that it is what I must move through in order to progress to the next level. With intense growth spurts, just like a baby, tween or teenager, rest is necessary in order to fully integrate my new energies liberated by the hard work. And when I have felt that progress is at a standstill, my surroundings and loved ones have encouraged me to relish the moments of rest to meditate, feed myself positivity and of course take advantage of extra sleep (David is so good at telling me that one). And before I know it, my energies are spurred on to work towards the next level of my development. For one who rarely used to stop and smell the roses, I do so now more than ever.

Once the sun rises, it doesn’t go backward but instead follows its path in one direction. It may appear to stand still for a moment in time or to move more slowly at some point or another. But really it is steadily moving forward on its path. We are the same way, and once we have moved through something we can never really go back. We may be resting or revisiting issues that seem old, and it’s natural to feel stuck, but in truth we are always taking the next important step forward on our path.