“Two steps forward, one step back” is a common lament when we feel we aren’t making progress fast enough, especially while trying something new. Since I’m embedded in the newness of several activities, I’ll share some observations from the trenches that I hope will help reframe this phrase.
The path of new isn’t organized like a treadmill on a predictable incline, it is more similar to a hike―with varied terrains, turns, inclines, dips, fallen tree-branches, muddy slopes, and waterfalls with slippery rocks. You can be prepared with maps, equipment and input from others but until you encounter a specific hurdle under specific conditions, you won’t fully know what part of yourself you’ll need to resource. Even with all the preparation, there will be times when you need to pause and take a moment to figure out your next step. These moments are not a loss of momentum; they are more like walking around the circumference of a new roadblock for thoughtful assessment, to understand how you might effectively move forward with grace. These pauses are crucial in being able to continue, otherwise we run the risk of injuring ourselves and needing to opt-out.
The “step back” is not necessarily a slippage, it can be a moment to grasp the bird’s-eye view right before swan diving into the work with gusto.
“All still lies ahead of you…be patient towards all that is unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms, like books written in a foreign tongue.” ― Rainer Maria Rilke
