How do I know I'm making progress?
January was all about being gentle with ourselves as we recovered from the cold and crummy December, BUT... by now you might be thinking,
“Well, all of this is really wonderful, but how do I know I am making progress?
How will I know if these gentle practices are actually working?”
I hear you. Nothing is more frustrating than trying everything under the sun, and feeling like you are getting nowhere fast. But remember,
Progress looks and feels different for everyone:
Progress is non-linear, with pauses, ups, downs, fluctuations, impatience and pure frustration - all of which are completely, perfectly normal.
Here are the five tangible signs of progress you can look for:
- Every day tasks feel a bit easier.
- Tasks like carrying groceries, climbing stairs, or shovelling snow feel less effortful.
- There
is less fear around specific movements, like balancing or getting out of bed.
- Recovery is quicker.
- You feel less wiped out the day after class or a busy day; soreness fades faster and doesn’t derail the rest of the
week.
- Fewer post‑class headaches, energy crashes, or flares of pain, even if you’re gradually doing a bit more movement in practice.
- Sleep and the
nervous system feel more regulated.
- Falling asleep or staying asleep gets a little easier, or you wake feeling slightly more rested, even if life is still busy.
- You notice that you can “downshift” from stress more quickly; a few breaths or a short pause helps you
settle instead of staying wound up for hours.
- Body awareness and self‑talk improve.
- You can recognize signs of fatigue, tension, or overwhelm and adjust before you hit a wall (resting or saying no). I gotta say, this one
is a MAJOR win!
- Your inner dialogue softens: fewer “I should be able to…” and more “What do I need right now?”
- Consistency
improves.
- You show up more regularly, even if for shorter or gentler movement practices, instead of oscillating between “ I am on a kick” and “I can’t do anything at all.”
- You can look back over a month or two and see a steady thread of care—classes attended, small
home practices, or breath breaks—rather than just a burst of effort in one week.
When you choose a softer approach, progress
doesn’t always shout; it often whispers. This month, try tracking a few of these subtle shifts—how you recover after class, how you talk to yourself, how easily you move through your day—and notice what changes over time.
These gentle steps and
almost‑invisible signs, compounded week after week, are exactly what build real strength, steady stability, and deep resilience from the inside out.
Take care of your precious
self!
As always, with warmth and gratitude,
Julia
