I am a goal-oriented forward-looking person, I set goals and then I look ahead and find ways to make them happen. I am also reflective so I do take time and step back and assess and adjust etc. I try to look within and check in with myself.
But here’s something I don’t do nearly enough: really take a step back, look at the past and at the journey I took to get to where I am and the distance I’ve traveled. So I can see the progress.
The other morning, I walked downstairs when it was still dark and big boy’s computer, that he built from parts, was glowing. A year ago, he would barely maybe have been able to tell you the name of all these parts, let alone build a functioning machine out of them and install arch linux. He has come such an incredible distance in this one year that it’s unbelievable. It gives me hope that such a profound amount of progress is possible in such a reasonably short time.
It also reminds me of the value of making progress visible. I often only focus ahead.
It’s like hiking up a mountain. It’s good to be focused on what’s ahead of me and getting to the summit. But at some point it’s also good to look behind me and see how far I already traveled, so I can celebrate the progress and use it as a way to build faith in myself that I have what it takes to get the rest done. And most importantly so I can make all the work up till now really visible for myself so I don’t just gloss over it.
It’s so easy to move forward, get the next achievement and immediately set your eyes on the next one. Or to dismiss the value of some serious result I worked hard for.
So, yes to pausing and looking back at the journey and really really seeing and celebrating the distance traveled.
#yearofyes #karenikayearofyes
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