At some point, chasing goals starts to feel different. Not exciting, not even stressful — just heavy. You look around and realize you’ve been measuring yourself by progress charts instead of peace levels. You’re achieving, but not evolving.
That’s when you know growth has shifted into autopilot.
We’re told to keep moving, to stay ambitious, to never settle. And maybe that works for a while. But what no one tells you is that growth isn’t supposed to drain you. It’s supposed to expand you. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do isn’t to chase a new milestone, but to pause and remember why you wanted it in the first place.
Lately, I’ve been learning that stillness is its own form of progress. The space between goals can be full of quiet realignment if you let it. Sometimes you outgrow the motivation that got you started, and that’s okay. You can honor the version of you who wanted more while still making space for the version of you who now wants peace.
You don’t need to keep climbing just to prove you haven’t stopped. You can rest at a checkpoint and breathe. You can look around and decide the view is enough for now.
The truth is, growth isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s quiet, gentle, and almost unrecognizable — but that doesn’t make it any less real.
Maybe this season isn’t about achieving more. Maybe it’s about becoming more yourself.
First & Jenn 
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