Motivation Monday: On Slow Progress and Radical Self-Grace
For this week’s Motivation Monday, I want to get personal. I want to talk about a journey that doesn’t have a finish line photo (at least, not yet) and isn’t filled with dramatic before-and-after’s. I want to talk about the slow, steady, and sometimes frustrating reality of trying to get healthier.
A little over a year ago, I started taking Ozempic. It’s a necessary medication for my Diabetes, and yes, one of its side effects is weight loss. On social media, you see stories of this being a “miracle drug,” where the pounds just melt away.
My reality? It’s been a tool, not a magic wand.
My body is also navigating Hashimoto’s and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Both are chronic autoimmune conditions that, to put it simply, love to make things like weight loss feel like an uphill battle in the mud. My metabolism doesn’t always cooperate, fatigue is a constant companion, and my body often feels like it’s working against me.
So, after a full year on this medication, where am I? I am 40 pounds down 💜
It’s not always easy to see the changes when you’re in the middle of the journey, especially when the scale moves slowly. For me, the most tangible change has been in my face. When I put these two photos side-by-side, I’m not just seeing weight loss. I’m seeing a year of perseverance. I’m seeing the result of choosing to show up for myself, even on the hard days. This is what 40 pounds of slow, steady, and hard-won progress looks like, and I’m proud of it!
Some days, that number feels like a monumental victory. Forty pounds is not insignificant. It’s a testament to consistency, to making better choices when I have the energy, and to giving myself grace when I don’t.
Other days, my heart sinks a little when I think, “I have another 40 to go.” The road ahead still feels long, and the slow pace can be disheartening. It’s easy to fall into the comparison trap, wondering why my progress doesn’t look like someone else’s.
But here’s what I’m learning, and this is the “motivation” I want to share with you today: My journey is not supposed to look like anyone else’s. And neither is yours.
So, if you are starting this week feeling frustrated with your own journey—if you’re on a health path that feels slow, if you’re fighting against your own body’s challenges, if you feel stuck while the world seems to be sprinting past you—this is for you.
It’s okay to be frustrated. It’s okay for your progress to be slow. It’s okay to celebrate a victory and, in the same breath, feel daunted by what’s ahead.
We are not failing. We are persevering. Let this be your motivation today: showing up for yourself, even when it’s hard, is the biggest win of all.
What’s one thing you’re proud of yourself for, big or small? Let’s start the week by cheering each other on in the comments.