Trusting Growth That Doesn’t Feel Like Progress (and Why That’s OK)
Some changes arrive like lightning—bright, dramatic, impossible to ignore.
Others? They’re more like the slow shift of seasons. You don’t notice the daylight stretching until one evening, you realise the sun is still warm on your skin.
We’ve been told that progress should be obvious. That growth is a straight line upward. That if we can’t see the change, it must not be happening.
But here’s the quiet truth: some of your most powerful growth won’t feel like progress at all.
When Growth Feels… Invisible
You might be:
Sitting in the same job.
Struggling with the same patterns.
Walking through the same hard feelings.
It can be frustrating—especially if you’ve been putting in the work, showing up, doing “all the right things.”
You might wonder, Am I stuck? Am I doing this wrong?
But often, the shifts are happening where you can’t see them yet—deep in the roots, not the leaves.
The Underground Work
Think about a seed. For weeks, maybe months, nothing appears above the surface.
But underground, the seed is cracking open. Roots are pushing down. Foundations are forming.
In personal growth, “underground work” can look like:
Pausing before reacting—even if you still react sometimes.
Thinking differently about yourself—even if your actions haven’t caught up yet.
Feeling your feelings instead of numbing them—even if the feelings are hard.
These are huge shifts. But because they’re quiet, they’re easy to overlook.
Why Slow Growth Is Still Growth
We’re wired for instant results.
We like before-and-after photos, not the messy in-between.
But slow, steady growth:
Creates deeper, more lasting change.
Gives your nervous system time to adapt.
Builds self-trust in small, repeatable ways.
And here’s the thing: growth that feels “too slow” now often ends up being the most sustainable in the long run.
Signs You’re Growing (Even If It Doesn’t Feel Like It)
You might notice:
You recover from challenges more quickly.
You question old habits before acting on them.
You’re more compassionate with yourself when you make mistakes.
You’re curious about your patterns instead of only judging them.
These are signs of inner progress—and they matter just as much as external results.
The Growth Tracker Practice
To help you see the invisible shifts, try this once a week:
Choose a quiet moment.
Sit somewhere comfortable, without your phone.Ask yourself three questions:
“What felt easier this week?”
“What did I handle differently than I would have a year ago?”
“What am I proud of, even if no one else saw it?”
Write down your answers.
Keep them in one place so you can look back and notice the patterns.
You might be surprised at what you’ve been growing all along.
Letting Go of the Need to “Feel” Progress
Sometimes the only evidence you’re growing is that you kept going.
You showed up for yourself when it would have been easier to stop.
You stayed with the discomfort instead of running from it.
That’s not failure. That’s transformation happening in real time.
A Gentle Invitation
If you’re in a season where change feels invisible, trust that your roots are deepening.
Not all progress is meant to be celebrated with fireworks—some is meant to be lived quietly, until one day you notice… you’ve become someone different.
You don’t have to track this journey alone.
Book a FREE coaching session with me here.
We’ll honour the growth you can see and make space for the shifts you can’t—yet.
