Julia Larson

This Is Your Reminder To Celebrate How Far You’ve Come Instead Of How Far Behind You Feel

Anything good takes time, cultivation, and patience.

We miss our victories, not because we haven’t achieved them but because we didn’t celebrate them. We don’t acknowledge the micro shifts we make. We fixate on everyone else’s journey except our own. 

This is your reminder to celebrate how far you’ve come instead of how far behind you feel. 

You’re tired of waiting. I know you’re exhausted from working without seeing results. Some days you wonder if you’re on the right track. Maybe you think about quitting altogether. Other days you feel like a complete fraud. You have a plan for your life, and this isn’t how it’s supposed to go. You’re supposed to be farther ahead. 

I’m here to tell you that you’re right where you need to be. Look at how far you’ve come. Look at everything you’ve been through over the past few years. You’re still standing. Close your eyes, breathe in slowly. Breathe out the tension, release the control from your body, let it out through your fingertips, nose, breath, and toes. 

This is your reminder to celebrate how far you’ve come instead of how far behind you feel. God knows what’s ahead of you. God knows what you can and can’t handle. He knows the timing and pace that leads to your success, not your breakdown. Your goals consist of the sum of individual moments within your journey. Don’t lose sight of your purpose. Focus on the skills you’ve learned, relationships you’ve made, fears you’ve overcome, and individuals you feel called to awaken—most importantly, yourself.

This is your reminder to celebrate the experiences that are going well. I want you to name them. I know you’re tempted to say “Nothing is going well,” but that simply isn’t true. I want you to look deeper, adjust your lenses, consider your perspective, realize that you’re closer than you think. You only have to see it.

This is your reminder to block out the noise of your critics, family, friends, and strangers who only see your past. Block out the people who refuse to let go, to recognize that you’re changing. Block out the need to hold onto who you once were so you could step into who you’re meant to be. Block out the people who aren’t daring to achieve half of what you’re trying to do. Instead, look at how much you’ve learnt about yourself. Look at your progress, not your quest for perfection.

This is your reminder to celebrate how far you’ve come instead of how far behind you feel. I know at times, it feels like nobody sees all that you do, the struggles you face, and the obstacles you’ve overcome. Worse yet, when it’s the people you want acknowledgement from the most. I see you. I believe in you. I celebrate you. You’re not alone.