One of the hardest lessons I've been learning lately is 'learning to be okay with the baby steps'. I think part of it comes from being a high achiever. I like to complete things. I like to complete things well. I like to set my mind to a task and focus until the job gets done. But... then comes life. And life isn't always accommodating to that kind of focus. Some tasks just aren't complete-able in one sitting (or two, or three). Take a PhD for example. Or a stubborn picture book text. Over the last year and a bit, I've struggled with not getting done the things I want to get done. I've raged against my lack of progress, blamed my circumstances, blamed my fatigue and held personally attended pity parties with ample amounts of chocolate. But I've come to realise that none of the above actually address the issue. They're just me chucking a tantrum at the things I can't control and sometimes we have to go the slow route.
Now, I've written about taking the slow lane before. But just because I write about it doesn't mean I've figured it out. I've only figured out a tiny part of the lesson at hand. And God, in his kindness, doesn't expect us to learn everything at once. Nope. He takes us gradually, gradually, through the stages we need to learn. Bit by bit, until the lessons sink deep in our heart. For me, I'm learning not just the slow way, but the value of baby steps. On days when my to do list is swiped from the table by appointments, chores and last minute high-school assignment assistance, I'm giving myself permission to celebrate the tiniest steps. A page of ideas, scrawled in blue pen. A paragraph rewritten. A sentence that finally clarifies itself after I've turned off the light and am ready for sleep. These teeny-tiny steps seem to add up. They are slowly building chapters for my research, fleshing out ideas for my creative writing, inching that picture book (did I mention how stubborn it is?) forwards. Every now and then I get a day, or a half, for true deep thinking and celebrate making strides in my projects at hand. But more commonly, life has a habit of breaking down my desire for high achievement into teeny tiny steps. I'm learning, very slowly, that this is okay and good and valuable. There will be time later to look back and see how far I've come. But for now my task is to stay faithful here. Faithful with the baby steps. One after the other after the other. Have you ever faced a similar season of learning? What strategies have you found to keep frustration in check, and hope in the baby steps? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
4 Comments
Karen Brough
12/10/2024 08:02:45 am
Relatable reflections Penny! Thankyou for sharing, it always helps to know that you're not alone.
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Carolyn Bourke
12/10/2024 08:38:14 am
This is so helpful Penny. I really appreciate you sharing in such a vulnerable way. It gives me permission to also celebrate and appreciate the tiny steps rather than chaffing to get on with the big ones.
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The Penny DropsIn high school I used to write what I'd call 'thinks' - little bits of writing about whatever topic or issue I was mulling over at the time. I still write these little pieces. Categories
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