I was listening to a podcast on my way to work this morning that was discussing how blockages keep us from moving forward and getting to that next step in life, in work, in everything. I have moved through many blockages since beginning this journey of “awakening” in 2014, and I wondered as I listened, will I ever have moved through all my blockages, or will there always be things coming up?
That thought lingered, the realization that growth doesn’t have a finish line. We work so hard to “do the right things”: reflect, practice gratitude, stay consistent, respond calmly, show up with compassion. And sometimes, despite all that effort, it still feels hard.
In behavior analysis, in teaching, and in parenting, we know progress isn’t linear. There are extinction bursts, plateaus, and unexpected setbacks. And while the data might say we’re on the right path, our hearts sometimes say otherwise. We crave signs that our work is working, that all this intention and energy are leading somewhere.
But maybe the goal isn’t to move past every blockage. Maybe it’s to learn how to be with them, to notice them and lean into them. Each step, each blockage, each bit of growth reveals where we are, what still needs caring for, and where we want to go.
Lately, I’ve been sitting with that: the discomfort of doing the work and still feeling stuck. The truth is, “doing all the right things” doesn’t guarantee ease. It guarantees presence. It keeps us aligned with our values. It keeps us grounded. It keeps us on the journey, even when the outcome isn’t instant.
So if you’re in that space of showing up, practicing patience, and holding faith that it matters, this is your reminder:
The middle is where it all happens, the joys and the sorrows. The middle is where transformation is quietly taking shape. The middle is the journey, it’s where the magic happens and that is what all of this is all about.