The Subtle Signs of Growth & Healing

Sometimes it’s hard to see the ways we’ve grown — especially when the inner critic is loud, or when we fall into the trap of comparing our path to someone else’s. I’ve spent a lot of quiet time over the years searching for areas where I could grow or be better. But I rarely pause to ask: Where have I already grown? Where have I already healed?

This blog entry is simply that pause.

A moment to reflect, acknowledge, and honor the quiet, subtle shifts that are shaping me into who I’m becoming.

Not too long ago, I spent some time in California and decided to take a solo trip to the beach. I had a lot on my mind that day. I was thinking about people and seasons that had run their course. I was holding dreams and visions for my future, questioning how they align with where I currently am. There was a lot of noise in my head. But still, something about the ocean was calling to me.

And something I don’t usually do — I answered. I spent the day at the beach alone.

There, with the waves crashing and strangers around me, I did something I hadn’t done in years: I got in the ocean. I waded out until the water reached my thighs, then my hips. Each wave hit me with a soft resistance, and with each one, I felt something start to soften in me too. I felt… joy. A calm, quiet joy.

I wasn’t thinking about who was or wasn’t in my life. I wasn’t trying to prove my worth or make anyone see my value. I wasn’t feeling lonely, or uneasy, or like something was missing. I was simply there — with myself, at peace in the present moment.

And that was new for me.

Because I can remember a time — not so long ago — when doing something like that alone would have made me feel empty. A time when solitude felt like rejection. When being by myself triggered anxiety, sadness, or the feeling that I wasn't enough on my own. But this time? This time was different.

This time, I felt free.

I realized in that moment that something had shifted. That I was learning how to no longer rely on someone else to give my life color or meaning. That I didn’t need to be seen by someone else in order to feel whole. I was beginning to enjoy my own company. I was building peace within myself — not waiting for someone else to bring it to me.

And that, to me, is a subtle sign of healing. A quiet but powerful sign of growth.

Later that day, when I returned to the hotel, I noticed something else. The things I had been wrestling with earlier — the questions, the emotional tension — felt a little lighter. I had worked through something without even realizing it. Just by choosing myself. Just by going where I felt called. Just by being present with my own heart, instead of running from it. I’m not all the way there yet, but I can see the quiet signs of growth — and that’s worth celebrating.

What’s one small sign of growth in your life that you might have overlooked?

Pause and honor it — even the quiet steps forward matter.