First & Jenn Morning Coffee: Maybe the Universe Is Pacing You

We live in a world that glorifies speed. Quicker results, faster growth, instant validation. It’s always about how fast you can get there — to the job, the dream, the recognition, the version of yourself you thought you’d be by now. But what if the reason things feel slow isn’t because you’re behind, but because the universe is pacing you?

It’s an uncomfortable thought, isn’t it? Because we’re taught that slowness equals failure. That if we’re not rushing toward something, we’re missing out. But maybe the universe has a better sense of timing than we do. Maybe it’s protecting us from things we’re not ready to hold yet.

I used to hate the word waiting. It felt passive, like being stuck in the hallway between who I was and who I wanted to be. But lately, I’ve started to realize that waiting isn’t stillness — it’s strengthening. It’s where patience becomes preparation. The space between dreams and arrival is where we quietly build the endurance for what’s coming next.

When you’re constantly chasing, you forget to build capacity. You start wanting big things without building the character or discipline to sustain them. And maybe that’s where divine timing comes in — not as a punishment, but as pacing. The universe slows you down so you don’t burn out before the blessing lands.

Think about athletes. They don’t sprint the entire game; they conserve their energy, control their rhythm, and know when to push. Life’s the same way. You can’t expect yourself to run full-speed through every season and still have strength for the finish line. Some seasons are meant for power. Others are meant for patience.

And maybe this season — the one that feels too quiet, too slow, too uncertain — is actually the one where you’re learning how to sustain what you’ve been asking for. The pause before the breakthrough is never wasted. It’s where the groundwork settles, the mind sharpens, and your spirit learns to breathe again.

So if everything feels delayed right now, maybe it’s because you’re being protected from rushing into something half-formed. Maybe your vision is still stretching, expanding, finding its footing. Maybe the opportunities you’ve been chasing are aligning behind the scenes.

It’s hard to trust timing you can’t control. But every time I’ve forced something to happen before I was ready, it never lasted. The universe doesn’t withhold — it prepares. It slows you down long enough for the right things to catch up.

So let it. Let yourself walk instead of sprint. Let yourself pause without guilt. Let yourself believe that slow progress still counts.

Because maybe you’re not behind at all.
Maybe you’re right on time — just pacing with purpose.