We live in a day and age where everything seems to come quickly and where we tend to judge our progress based on what we see around us. There are fad diets and five-minute workouts, get rich quick schemes and quick tips for every area of our lives. Its a fast paced world that only gets faster with social media sites that instantly allow us to share the details of our days. All of this compounds to instigate a feeling of immediate need and want. How many of us have seen something posted on a blog or on Facebook and thought “I want to do that. To make that. To wear that. To look like that. To experience that. I want that now.” We tend to get wrapped up in this world of “I want” based on what we see others experiencing. That coupled with a need for immediacy can lead to depression when we don’t see instantaneous results.

But today I want to share the beauty and power of slow progress. Instead of being disheartened bt the lack of quick results, it is important to enjoy the slow and steady journey. It can absolutely be frustrating to decide to make a change in your life and not see an immediate improvement but everything in life that is worthwhile seems to be worth the wait. Even the simplest of things like flowers, take time to grow. And it is in that time of growth that true change happens.

It is in the day-to-day progress that you learn healthy habits, that you push yourself and face your fears. Without slow progress, we are incapable of learning and growth. All around us, we see an expectation of immediate results and in that immediacy, we bypass the true value of what is accomplished. And as we become stuck in the “need it now” mindset, we get depressed or disheartened when results don’t come quickly enough. It can also be difficult when we see what others are accomplishing and we judge our first steps and progress on what may have been honed and cultivated for years.

So don’t become discouraged if the change you seek isn’t immediate. Take pride in your slow progress and know that each day you step in the direction of your dreams is a good day. A mile is still a mile regardless if your friend on Facebook just ran ten. Take pride that you ran one and that is better than not running one at all. Don’t expect perfection just because you decided to make a change. Instead, learn from and grow wise in the journey. Explore the beauty and power of slow progress, because it is that slow progress that truly shapes your life.

Photo by Elaine Casap