I’m sitting here, feeling the same pit in my stomach that I felt when I wrote Warriors Don’t Die With Clean Swords. Funny how that works, right? It’s all a bit nostalgic, really—thinking back on how that phrase came about, remembering how certain things in life used to feel so… solid. Unshakeable. But here we are, watching things crumble, and we’re left wondering what went wrong. Was it us? Or was it always this way, and we were just too busy pretending it wasn’t?

Life feels like rolling a boulder up a hill sometimes. Like Sisyphus' eternal punishment, doomed to repeat the same, exhausting task, only to have the boulder roll back down again. Yeah, that about sums it up.

It’s tough out there. The cost of living keeps climbing, and we’re stuck wondering if our pay cheques are shrinking or if it’s just our sanity that’s thinning. Add to that the wars, the news, the endless doomscrolling—it’s enough to make you want to crawl back into bed and call it quits. Honestly, who isn’t questioning whether they’re doing enough? Earning enough? Moving forward at all? Seems like no matter what we do, it’s never enough, right?

But, the truth is, progress doesn’t always look like grand, sweeping changes. Maybe you’re not leaping over mountains or getting that hard to come by promotion. Maybe your victory is getting out of bed or making it through the day.

You can’t control the chaos out there; the global economy, the politics, the wars. You can’t even control whether your next trip to the grocery store will leave your wallet lighter than you thought possible. But, and this is a big but, you can control how you respond. That’s what self-development boils down to: focusing inward when everything outward is out of your hands.

No, you don’t have to reinvent yourself. Who has the energy for that right now? It’s those small, almost invisible steps that keep you going, it comes down to right now. It’s asking yourself, “What’s the bare minimum I can do to take care of myself today?” Sounds grim, but sometimes that’s the only question worth asking. Now's when you focus on small, intentional actions that keep you grounded and moving forward, no matter how slowly.

It's easy to feel like we're falling behind when life constantly demands more: more productivity, more money, more accomplishments. But here's something we often forget that I think is important: Progress doesn’t always mean big promotions, more money, or grand accomplishments. Sometimes, progress is getting through the day. It's as simple as making it to the next morning, in spite of the challenges that weighed you down the day before.

We’re all on different paths, and right now, most of us are stuck in survival mode; financially, emotionally, and mentally. But that doesn’t mean we’re not making progress. It’s just not the type of growth anyone celebrates any more, and I think that's unhealthy. Those small acts, like getting out of bed, taking care of your mental health, or finding moments of joy, are victories too. So, if you’ve made it this far, if you’re still moving—however slowly—you’re doing better than you think.

Focus on Your Well-being: Take care of your mental and physical health. Whether it’s a quick walk, five minutes of meditation, or just taking a moment to breathe. It's important to cut people off who are a threat to your inner peace and sanity, because they're a plague that keeps on giving. You need to nurture your mental health and protect your boundaries.

And don’t forget, one of the most powerful and underrated sources of support during tough times is community. I know, I know—who wants to talk about feelings or share their struggles when everyone else is drowning too? But the thing is, we’re all in this mess together. And sometimes, knowing that, sharing that, makes all the difference. Just knowing that others are feeling the same way you are can bring comfort.

Lean on the people around you. Talk about your fears, your frustrations, and your wins, no matter how small they might seem. We’re all tired of pretending everything’s fine. We build a community of support when we share our experiences. And often, in helping others, we find strength within ourselves too.

In these uncertain times, it’s easy to feel like you’re stuck in place or falling behind. But remember that progress is still progress, no matter how slow it may seem. Every step you take, even the small ones, brings you closer to where you want to be. The key is to keep moving forward, even if that forward movement looks different from what you expected.

Don’t be hard on yourself for not achieving major goals during a period of global upheaval. Instead, celebrate the small wins, take care of yourself, and trust that you’re growing through this process. You’re doing enough. You are enough.

THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU: Take it one day at a time. And remember, even when the world feels like it’s falling apart, you still have the strength to keep moving forward—no matter how slow that progress might be.