Trust the Process
If I could sit down with my younger self, look her in the eyes, and say just one thing, it would be this: Trust the process and embrace patience.
I wasn't entirely sure what either of those terms meant at the time. I was always in a rush—rushing to grow up, rushing to succeed, rushing to figure everything out. I believed that if I wasn’t moving fast, I was falling behind. I saw patience as weakness and the process as a delay, an obstacle between me and where I thought I should be.
But life—real, meaningful, fulfilling life—isn’t a race. It’s a journey. And the sooner you stop fighting the pace of your path, the more peace you’ll find.
The Illusion of Instant Success
Our younger selves often measure success with urgency. We compare ourselves to others and assume we need to achieve everything by 25—or worse, by 20. Social media amplifies this pressure, showcasing highlight reels of peers landing dream jobs, starting businesses, traveling the world, and “living their best lives.”
But what you rarely see are the nights of doubt, the countless failures, the long periods of confusion and rebuilding. Success is not instant. Growth is not linear. The people you admire the most didn’t skip the hard parts—they endured them, one slow, unglamorous day at a time.
I’d tell my younger self, "You’re not late. You’re not behind. You’re just learning. And that's exactly where you're supposed to be."
The Power of Trusting the Process
Trusting the process means letting go of the need for immediate results. It’s about believing that every step you take—even the ones that feel like detours—are part of a larger, meaningful path.
Sometimes, we want certainty before we act. We want to know that a choice will pay off, that a risk will be worth it, that a relationship will last. However, life rarely provides such a guarantee. You have to act anyway. You have to plant seeds without knowing when they’ll bloom—or even if they’ll bloom.
But trust this: even when things don’t go according to your plans, they are often going exactly according to your growth. Every setback has the potential to reveal something about yourself, to redirect you toward something better, or to teach you resilience you didn’t know you had.
Learning to Embrace Patience
Patience is not passive. Real patience is active. It’s the self-control to continually show up, even in the face of slow or undetectable development.
I used to believe that something wasn't meant for me if it didn't happen right away. I’d give up on dreams because they didn’t materialize in the first few months or years. But looking back, I realize that some of the most beautiful things in life take time to build: relationships, skills, healing, wisdom, self-love.
Imagine telling a seed that it’s failing because it hasn’t become a tree overnight. That’s how absurd our expectations can be when we lack patience.
I would tell my younger self: "Be kind to yourself during the waiting seasons. They’re not wasted time—they're when your roots are growing."
When It Feels Like Nothing’s Happening
There will be times when everything feels still. Your friends will seem far ahead, your goals unreachable, your life stuck in place. These are the moments when impatience will whisper that you’re a failure.
Don’t listen.
Instead, listen for the quieter truths: Are you learning something new? Are you becoming more self-aware? Are you healing from old wounds? These are invisible victories. They matter. They count. They are part of the process too.
Growth often happens beneath the surface before it shows in your life. Trust that. Keep going.
Failures Are Stepping Stones, Not Stop Signs
One of the hardest lessons to accept is that failure is not a verdict—it’s feedback. Every time you fail, you are being refined. You are being given the opportunity to become wiser, stronger, more compassionate.
I used to beat myself up over every mistake, every wrong decision. I believed that failing meant I wasn't worthy. But now I see: failure was often the very thing that opened the door to clarity.
Don’t fear failing. Fear giving up before you’ve learned what it was meant to teach you."
Enjoying the Journey
I regret not enjoying the ride more in retrospect. I spent so much time worrying about the destination that I overlooked the beauty of the present moment.
I missed the quiet mornings that didn’t need to be productive. I overlooked the friendships that didn’t need to be strategic. I rushed through experiences instead of savoring them. I was always looking for the next step instead of appreciating the one I was on.
Younger self, slow down. There is so much beauty right here. Life doesn’t begin after you reach a goal. Life is happening now, in this moment, in all its messiness and imperfection.
What I’ve Learned
Here are a few truths I would wrap in a letter to my younger self:
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You are not behind. Everyone is on their own timeline. Trust yours.
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Progress isn't always visible. It doesn't necessarily not happen just because you can't see it.
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Rest is part of growth. Because it allows the mind and body to recover, reflect, and rebuild, making progress sustainable.
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Rejection is redirection. What doesn’t work out often makes room for something better.
It's not expected of you to know everything. Life is about evolving, not arriving.
Final Words to My Younger Self
Dear younger me,
I know you’re anxious to get there—wherever “there” is. But please, take a deep breath. Let go of the pressure to be perfect, to have all the answers, to rush ahead.
Your value is not defined by your achievements. Your life is not a checklist. Trust the timing of your journey. Have faith in the process. Let patience be your compass when things feel uncertain.
And remember, the person you’re becoming is worth the wait.
Closing Thought
We all have moments when we wish we could go back and do things differently. But maybe what matters more than changing the past is honoring the wisdom we’ve gained. And maybe, just maybe, the younger version of us still lives within—ready to be nurtured with patience and trust.
So, even if you can’t rewrite your history, you can choose how you show up today. Start where you are. Trust the process. Embrace patience. You’re exactly where you need to be.