ℱ𝓇𝓸𝓂 𝓂𝓎 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈... 🫶💌☕
If you've been reading my Substack for a while, you’ll likely know that I’m a big fan of slow living. I cherish glimmers, small moments of joy, and finding pockets of peace in my day.
Well… I’ve found it harder to live this way these past few days.
I think it’s because I’m in a transitional period. I’ve caught myself wishing I could be somewhere ahead of where I am right now, asking questions like:
Shouldn’t I be further along by now?
Isn’t this the time when everything should just fall into place?
It’s funny, because even though I’ve always valued taking my time, I’ve recently been struggling with the feeling that I need to speed up.
I’m guessing you’ve felt that way too, at some point?
There’s this strange pressure to move quicker than feels right, just because the world feels like it’s spinning so fast.
Close your eyes, if it feels comfortable.
It’s okay to be here,
just as you are.
The pressure to rush,
to be further along—
it can wait.
I’ve been sitting with these thoughts, especially after reviewing my finances.
The numbers are looking just about good enough that I’m starting to believe I could transition to part-time work soon.
And that’s...
exciting
terrifying
grounding
unsettling
...all at once.
But I know I can’t jump just yet.
I still need to save a little more. I need to be intentional.
My plan (if all goes well) is to move into a part-time role that provides a solid retainer while I continue to grow what I’m building behind the scenes (a framework and method that I’ve been nurturing since 2017).
Especially with everything going on in the world (such as the cost of living and economic uncertainty), it feels even more important to keep some sense of monthly security while I slowly transition.
Imagine, just for a moment,
that you could let go of all the pressure
to be ahead.
You’re exactly where you need to be.
It’s not about the pace.
It’s about the steady steps,
one after the other.
I’ve been reminding myself gently, again and again, that I don’t need to rush.
Even though it feels hard sometimes.
Life keeps moving forward either way.
And I’m learning that the steps I’m taking now, no matter how small, matter just as much as the ones I haven’t taken yet.
It’s hard to remember that when everything feels like it’s in fast-forward.
But this is the truth I’m anchoring into:
You don’t need to be further ahead.
You don’t need to do it all at once.
You’re allowed to take your time.
We all have our timelines, don’t we?
Sometimes, it feels like we should be somewhere we’re not yet.
But that’s okay.
Progress doesn’t always look like big leaps forward — it’s often just the quiet, steady movements.
Picture your path as a winding road,
with plenty of space to breathe.
There’s no hurry,
just room to grow.
Each step you take
brings you closer
to where you’re meant to be.
I wrote this poem for you, because I feel like we could all use a reminder right now:
A Quiet Growth
In the stillness, you begin,
planting seeds of hope within.The path is slow, the days are long,
But every step is where you belong.It’s not in rushing that we grow,
but in the quiet, steady flow.So take your time, and trust the pace,
You’re healing in your own space.The garden grows in ways unseen,
And so, too, does all that’s been.
There’s no rush.
The small steps are the progress.
Even when it feels slow, you’re still moving forward.
And so, my dear friend...
Take your time.
Allow yourself to breathe.
Move at your own pace.
Trust that everything is unfolding as it’s meant to.
You don’t have to be anywhere else.
And you don’t have to be anyone else but you.
𝒲𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒢𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓉𝓊𝒹𝑒,
🙏 𝒟𝒶𝓃𝒶 𝓍𝑜
Damn the title 'stuck between where you are and where you want to be' perfectly describes how I've felt since September. I'm constantly thinking about where I want to be or even "need to be" (finding a job). I'm constantly waiting for something to happen. Not quite present in the moment. It's so tiring. This waiting for something to happen. Feeling so stuck. Like I should be further along already. That things should fall into place. I know I'm making progress yet it feels like I'm not making progress at all. I'm trying to be okay with how slow things are going, trying to embrace slow but I'm also not.
Such beauty in your words Dana, we are perfectly on time where we are. Thank you 🌱🙏