Overcoming Tough Times with Small, Powerful Steps While Learning to Love Yourself in a New Reality

Life doesn’t always go as planned. Whether it’s burnout, a concussion, or another unexpected life event, difficult periods can leave us feeling stuck and uncertain about how to move forward - or even how to accept the situation at hand.

I know this firsthand. After sustaining a concussion, my recovery felt like an endless rollercoaster. Each time I completed a new therapy and still wasn’t fully healed, I hit a low point. I didn’t know what else to do, and that uncertainty drained my motivation to “fight” and get better. At first, I saw these moments as failures. But over time, I realized something important: it’s okay not to have all the answers. Experiencing a life-changing event doesn’t mean we always know the next step - sometimes, simply acknowledging where we are is enough.

Surprisingly, those low moments became turning points. They taught me resilience, self-compassion, and the importance of listening to myself. I used to think phrases like “growth comes from discomfort” were just motivational clichés, but living through it showed me their true meaning. Every setback, every frustration, somehow became fuel for a new kind of motivation.

What helped me most was having a plan. Not just for recovery, but for what came next. I started to recognize that the moments after therapy - those times when I felt lost or discouraged - were actually opportunities to learn more about myself. Instead of fearing them, I planned for them.

This shift in perspective changed everything. It allowed me to embrace self-kindness, even when my body wasn’t cooperating the way I wanted it to. I stopped seeing recovery as a battle and instead approached it as a journey - one built on small, intentional steps. It wasn’t just about getting better physically; it was about learning to accept and love myself in this new reality.

If any of this resonates with you, I’ve put together a simple checklist to help you process your feelings and create a plan for your own journey.

Your Guide to Moving Forward

1. Acknowledge the Challenge, But Don’t Let It Define You

It’s natural to feel frustrated when you’re not where you want to be. The first step is to recognize and accept the difficulty of the situation while remembering that setbacks are just part of the journey—they don’t define it. Progress isn’t measured by the absence of obstacles but by your willingness to keep moving forward.

Healing - whether physical, emotional, or mental - takes time, and that’s okay. Give yourself permission to move at your own pace.

2. The Power of Small Goals

Focus on tiny, manageable steps, like:
A short walk outside
Five minutes of meditation
Drinking enough water
Writing down one thing you’re grateful for

Each small action builds momentum. These tiny wins, though seemingly insignificant, create a sense of progress and shift your mindset from focusing on what you can’t do to recognizing what you are doing.

3. Planning: The Key to Staying Motivated

After each therapy session, I hoped to feel noticeably better. But when I didn’t, disappointment set in. What kept me from staying stuck in that low moment was having a plan. Instead of fixating on what hadn’t worked, I asked myself:

 What’s the next small action I can take?
How can I adjust my approach?
What routine can I build to support my healing?

Shifting my focus from frustration to what’s next helped me stay motivated, even when progress felt painfully slow.

4. Learning to Be Kind to Yourself

One of the hardest lessons I had to learn was to love myself, even when my body wasn’t cooperating. There were days when I felt like a stranger in my own skin - tired, foggy, unable to do what I once could. But fighting against my body only made things harder.

Instead, I started practicing self-compassion:
Speaking to myself with kindness rather than frustration
Allowing myself to rest without guilt
Acknowledging my progress, no matter how small

Healing isn’t just about moving forward; it’s about giving yourself grace along the way.

5. Consistency Over Perfection

Not every day will be a good day, and that’s okay. The key isn’t to be perfect but to be consistent. Missing one day or having a setback doesn’t erase the progress you’ve made, it’s simply part of the process.

Even if it feels like you’re taking one step forward and two steps back, the important thing is to keep going. Progress is never a straight line.

6. Shifting Your Mindset: From Stuck to Empowered

Recovery, growth, and healing require patience - but they also require belief in your ability to move forward. Instead of focusing on what you can’t do, ask yourself:

What can I do today?
What small action will bring me closer to where I want to be?

Reframing your perspective makes all the difference.

Final Thoughts

Overcoming difficult times isn’t about finding an instant solution - it’s about taking one step, then another, and adjusting as you go. Small, intentional actions create momentum, and having a plan (even a vague one) gives you the motivation to keep going.

No matter how stuck you feel right now, progress is possible. It’s okay to be in a low moment. You will bounce back - stronger, wiser, and more in tune with yourself. These moments, as painful as they are, allow you to learn about yourself and love yourself as you are.

💛 You are not alone in this journey.