We just turned our clocks back an hour, and although most were happy for the extra hour of sleep, we often view falling back or going backwards as a negative thing. This is often the case as we experience times of growth and/or change in our lives.
The journey of life growth will always include a “step back” and we often view that as a failure, or a loss of the hard work we have done to improve or change something.
But I assure you, it is not!
Think of it this way: growth happens on a continuum and a “step back” does not erase the progress that has occurred. You do not automatically go back to start.
All the progress and work represented in the circle still occurred, it is still there, you are not the same person you were when you started this journey. A “step back” never invalidates the journey; it is part of the journey. If our life journey is like walking along a path then all the steps along the way are a part of it; the bumps, the twists and turns, the rocky terrain, moments of smooth terrain, the climbs…wouldn’t falling backwards just be a natural part of the journey?
Here is the main point, even with a “step back” we never end up where we originally began the journey.
All the processing and all the progress is not gone. We don’t lose all the hard work we did, the changes that we implemented, the personal growth discoveries we had, the deep insights, the reflections, the journaling, the heartache, the tears, the laughter, the moments where we thrived, and the moments where we needed to survive. They all still happened. It is all a part of us now.
A step back is not a “now we have to start all over” or “all is lost”. No way! A “step back” is a gain, a new insight, a necessary and natural part of the journey. So please do not get discouraged about a so-called step back because not all the other steps have been lost, and perhaps this is exactly what was needed for the next part of our life journey.
To begin or continue your journey with the help of one of our therapists please call 215-538-9308. We would love to go on your life journey with you and would find it a privilege to walk alongside you on your path.
