Looking Back to Move Forward

When you are feeling stuck and don’t think you’re making any headway, take a moment to look back on your past day, week, month, or year. Thinking about where you were then and where you are now will help you move forward.

Why Reflecting on Progress Matters

We have a tendency to sweep things under the rug. “That was a big deal yesterday, last week, last month, last year, but today it doesn’t mean s—t.”

This is a mistake that most of us make and the best way to combat this is to truly reflect on just how much you’ve done and how far you’ve come.

The reason we all make this mistake is because when we do the work and accomplish something it becomes our new normal and we forget just how hard it was to get there.

By taking the time to reflect and remember where you were and the work it took to get were, you are you gift yourself motivation. You see that you DID take action and that it moved you forward.

Turn Challenges Into Lessons

You’ll also see where the hiccups were and what you did to get through them. You might look back and think, “hmm, I could have done that better.” This is a GOOD thing. This is how you learn.

Each move forward is an improvement on the last move. In dance, each move flows into the next. You cannot get to the next image without first having been in the image before. That’s what makes dance so fluid and graceful.

Your life is a dance. A dance of adventure. And each skill you learn helps to make your dance and adventure bigger, better, and more fluid.

Refining Your Path Forward

If you’re feeling stuck, look for where things are uncomfortable or where you keep bumping into something. When you find it, or them, do something about it. If you have many stumbling blocks, pick one.

What can you do to improve that one thing?

• What action can you take?
• What person can you talk to?
• What habit can you change?

Then take that action and see what happens.

It might be that you go “back to basics” on something. If you’re dancing, focus on pointing your toe; playing an instrument, practice your scales; living life, pretend that you’re two years old again and you’re just figuring out how to put your shoes on. Do the little things with intention.

When you look back and acknowledge all the things, big or little, you are able to give yourself credit for all the good things and learn from the things that didn’t work out so well. This gives you the foundation and fodder to refine and create the best version of your BIG Dream.

Reflecting on your progress not only helps you see how far you’ve come but also sheds light on the stories that have shaped your journey. Are your stories empowering you, or are they holding you back?

Take the next step in refining your path by downloading the Finding Your Stories worksheet. This powerful tool will help you uncover and reshape the narratives that guide your life so you can move forward with clarity and purpose.