You Don’t Need to Catch Up
Life isn’t a race, and you’re not late
I used to think I was behind in life.
For me, it happened when I compared myself to other environmentalists and sustainable living creators online. I would see them covering breaking environmental news the second it happened, speaking at conferences, publishing books, and being recognized by major environmental organizations.
And without meaning to, I would start shrinking.
My focus would shift from what I was creating to what I was lacking. I would replay the same thoughts over and over: You are not doing enough. You should be further along. Everyone else is ahead of you.
Social media has a way of feeding those thoughts. It turns life into a race that no one signed up for, with invisible milestones you are somehow expected to meet. It makes it seem like everyone else has their path perfectly mapped out and you are still trying to find your starting point.
But that isn’t how a life is measured.
One day, in the middle of one of these comparison spirals, I stopped. I pulled up my notes app and typed down everything I have done.
I went to Washington D.C. and spoke with congressional leaders, House committee members, the EPA, and other organizations about environmental and vegan related issues.
I partnered with the Food Empowerment Project to create an Earth Month Appreciation Bingo sheet.
I collaborated twice with Dogwood Alliance.
I was featured on two podcasts where I talked about veganism and environmental racism.
And that is not even the full list.
Seeing it all typed down shifted something in me. Every time I start to compare myself or feel behind, I go back to that list. It’s proof that I’m moving, maybe not at the same pace or in the same way as others, but forward all the same.
Your list will not look like mine, and it is not supposed to. That is the point.
There is no universal timeline. There is only your timing.
When I need to remember this, I step outside. Nature has a way of putting everything back into perspective.
The seasons do not rush to arrive. The trees are in no hurry to change their leaves. The flowers bloom in their own time, whether or not anyone is watching.
On a late afternoon not long ago, I watched the sun drop lower in the sky. Its light stretched across the street, turning everything gold. The air was warm but soft, the kind of air that makes you want to slow your steps. The leaves were still mostly green, but here and there, a few had started to turn. Slowly. Quietly. Without rushing.
Nature does not hustle, and yet everything gets done.
If you have been feeling like you are behind, I want you to hear me: you do not need to catch up. There is no race. You are not late. No one is ahead of you on your path.
Standing still is not the same as being stuck. Sometimes you are simply letting your roots grow deeper before you grow upward again.
You are right on time.
Takeaway Lines to Hold Onto
Your life is not late
There is no universal timeline; there is only your timing
Standing still is not the same as being stuck
Nature does not rush, and yet everything gets done
This is Part 3 of the Back to You Series, a four-part series for anyone who feels like they have lost touch with themselves and wants to return to what matters without guilt or pressure. If you have not read Part 1 or 2 yet, I encourage you to go back and read them; you can click the links under “more readings” below.
Next week, we will talk about how to set intentions for the season ahead in a way that feels like reclamation, not reinvention.
If you have not subscribed yet, now is the perfect time. And if you know someone who might need this reminder, forward this to them.
Currently
Reading- All These Law Books😭
Listening (music)- “Sue Me” by Audrey Hobert
Listening (podcast)- “Financial Feminist” by Tori Dunlap
Waiting on- the semester to end😭
More Readings
Thank you for reading “Better You.”
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