There’s this quiet pressure to be “doing something big.”
To always be on the move. Building. Posting. Winning.
And when life slows down, when the results don’t show up fast enough, we start to wonder if we’re falling behind.
Maybe you have been pushing, dreaming, showing up, yet nothing seems to move. Everyone else looks like they are sprinting ahead while you are stuck jogging in place. But here is what is easy to forget: growth does not always look like motion. Sometimes it looks like stillness, quiet reflection, and slow rebuilding.
This is not a setback. It is a season. And every season has a reason. The key is to own it, to stop resisting where you are long enough to notice what this moment is trying to teach you.
1. Accept That Growth Is Not Always Loud
We are conditioned to measure progress by how visible it is. New jobs, new achievements, new posts on Instagram, all meant to show that we are doing well.
But some of the most meaningful growth happens in silence. Think of the way roots grow. You never see them, yet they are the reason the tree stands firm when storms come.
Maybe your roots are growing right now. Maybe the lessons, habits, and character you are building beneath the surface are preparing you for something you are not yet ready to see.
If your season feels slow, do not panic. Quiet does not mean empty.
2. Rest Without Feeling Guilty
We live in a world that celebrates hustle but rarely honors rest. Especially for young African women, rest is often mistaken for laziness. But you cannot pour from an empty cup.
Resting is not quitting. It is recharging. When life slows down, maybe it is not punishment, maybe it is permission. Permission to breathe. To reset. To remember who you are outside of constant doing.
Sometimes your stillness is what allows you to hear what your next move should actually be.
3. Focus on What You Can Control
When things are not happening as quickly as you would like, it is easy to feel powerless. But you always have influence over something: your mindset, your routines, your response to what is happening around you.
You cannot control when opportunities show up, but you can prepare for them. Learn something new. Read more. Build better habits. Strengthen your skills quietly so that when the door opens, you walk through it ready, not rushed.
This kind of quiet work builds confidence. The more you invest in what you can control, the less anxious you feel about what you cannot.
4. Stay Planted Even When It Feels Boring
It is easy to stay motivated when progress is visible. The hard part is showing up when it is not. But consistency in slow seasons is what creates momentum later.
Every successful woman you admire, from Mo Abudu to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Temie Giwa-Tubosun, has had years of unseen effort behind her achievements. The spotlight only came after a long stretch of quiet preparation.
Stay planted. Keep showing up for yourself, even when it is dull. The roots you are growing now will sustain you when the visible growth finally comes.
5. Speak Kindly to Yourself
How you talk to yourself matters, especially in uncertain seasons. It is easy to spiral into thoughts like “I am not doing enough” or “I should be further by now.” But every time you think that, remind yourself: you are growing, even if you cannot see it yet.
Affirmations might sound simple, but they are powerful. Try saying:
- “My pace is perfect for my path.”
- “I am learning to trust my timing.”
- “I am allowed to be proud of small progress.”
Being kind to yourself does not make you complacent. It makes you resilient.
A Gentle Reminder:
Your worth is not measured by your speed. The quiet chapters, the pauses, the waiting, they are all part of the story that shapes you. Sometimes what feels like a delay is actually divine pacing.
Owning your season and growing gracefully when life feels slow means trusting that you are not behind. You are becoming. And becoming takes time.
So breathe. Rest. Keep doing the small things with intention. The pace might be slower than you expected, but the woman you are becoming is worth the wait.
🌷 Final Thought
Every season plays its part.
The fast ones remind you of your power.
The slow ones teach you patience.
And when your bloom finally comes, it will make sense why you had to root so deeply first.
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