Progress is a Circle
By: Elizabeth Jeroy – Community & Justice Services Practicum Student
Progress is a circle. I recently heard this quote on a podcast and it really resonated with me. There will be ups and downs but you have to keep pushing. The person was relating this to their feelings and confidence surrounding their body image but it occurred to me this could work for any area someone is trying to make progress in.
For example, overcoming shame or guilt. This is an ongoing process. It takes time to even be ready to start the journey of working to overcome and once you start it unfortunately isn’t always smooth sailing. People often compare it to a rollercoaster but if, like me, you are afraid of rollercoasters, this makes the journey sound scary. A circle sounds much more practical and effective.
There will be days when you are climbing up one side of the circle, feeling yourself advancing in your healing. But there will also be days when you slide down the other side and hit a low. This doesn’t mean your process isn’t working. It means you’re human and you experience a variety of emotions.
For me, I think about my journey to overcome guilt after I lost my best friend to suicide. They say hindsight is 20/20. There were days I felt shame, like what warning signs did I miss? And then there were other days where I was able to recognize this was no one’s fault. Even now, 3 years later, I still experience both these emotions, but I do recognize the progress I have made in overcoming the guilt.
Whether you call it a circle or a rollercoaster or any other analogy that suits you, remember there will be highs and there will be lows. This is normal. Don’t be defeated. Reach out for support when you need it. There’s no right or wrong timeframe for your journey.
Progress is a circle.