At the start of a new year, there’s often a lot of focus on what’s next. We think about who we are, who we want to become, and what the months ahead might hold for us. But alongside that forward-looking energy, I’ve found myself reflecting on something else too… how much growth can happen before we might even realise it.
I’ve noticed this not only in myself, but in my children as well. Small moments of confidence. A willingness to give something one more try. A positivity where there once was hesitation. And it’s reminded me that growth doesn’t always announce itself loudly. Sometimes it shows up quietly, in the everyday moments that we almost overlook.
So often, we can find ourselves focused on the goals, the dreams, the things still needing to be done, the endless mental to-do list that never seems to get any smaller! Yet it’s just as important for us to pause once in a while, to take a breath, and really see how far we’ve already come.
So why not take a moment today to reconnect and think about the days gone by, the ones that felt impossibly heavy, when just getting through the day felt like an achievement. We all experience them from time to time. The times when things didn’t turn out as you had hoped they would. Those moments when you weren’t sure you could manage… but you did anyway. Maybe not gracefully, maybe not always with a smile or a sense of joy, but you showed up, you kept going, and you chose growth, even when it might have felt easier to give up or walk away.
It’s in these moments of reflection that you begin to notice something important… you notice that you are already a version of yourself that you once hoped you’d be. The wiser one. The stronger one. The healthier one. The calmer one. The one who knows when to rest, when to keep going and try again, and when enough really is enough.
So today, I’d like to encourage you to pause and reflect, even if only for a moment, and allow yourself a sense of pride and recognition. It doesn’t have to be loud, and you don’t need to shout it from the rooftops (unless you want to). It just needs to be a moment that says, “I see you. I know what you’ve experienced, what you’ve overcome, how much you’ve grown. And I’m proud of you!”
Then allow that sense of pride to carry you forward over the coming months. Let it gently spur you on, safe in the knowledge that one day, these months ahead will hold the same quiet power too.
With warmth, love, and light Liz Xx