The ups and downs of progress

I thought I was going to die.

Last week, I got hit with a nasty fever for 2 days. Not only that, I had to deal with a persistent headache for days. The worst part? It left me feeling unproductive for a whole week.

But hey, I learned some valuable stuff during that time, and I want to share it with you this week. (It wasn’t a waste of time being sick after all 😅)

Setbacks happen

Life has a funny way of throwing us off course sometimes. We all face setbacks, whether it’s getting sick, dealing with personal problems, or unexpected hiccups in our plans. It’s totally normal.

Setbacks suck, and they can feel discouraging sometimes. It’s okay tho. If it doesn’t work today, try again tomorrow. Don’t stop trying.

Be flexible

Not everything will go as planned, by knowing this, it’s essential to stay flexible, open to adjusting your goals and game plan when unexpected challenges show up.

I mean, who would plan to get sick, right? I had to be flexible and accepted the fact that I couldn’t do much but rest. Work with what you have, don't get frustrated, and focus only on the things you can control.

Be kind to yourself.

You know what? When I was sick, I did something not-so-great for myself. Instead of resting and taking it easy, I pushed myself to be productive. I tried to work on my laptop, and I even hit the gym, thinking it would help. Turns out, that probably made things worse and didn’t do any good for my sickness.

It’s normal to feel “unproductive” and push yourself to get some work done. Allow yourself to take time for recovery, this short period doesn’t define who you are, and you shouldn’t stress over the fact that you’re slacking off.

I allowed my self to binge-watch a whole series on Netflix, I even read a few horror mangas by Junji Ito.

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to learn and grow. Instead of dwelling on the setback, focus on the lessons it offers and how you can use them to your advantage.

I guess next time I’m sick (hopefully never) I need to remember that setbacks are not signs of failure; they are part of the journey. Like the name of this newsletter, The Progress Project, sometimes you can’t move forward without taking a step back. Ups and downs are the package deal, so 🤷‍♀️ 

Alright, that’s it for this week.

Don’t be toxic to yourself, take care of your body and your mind. It’s cool that you push yourself, but don’t forget to pause and drink some water.

It’s a marathon, not a race.

Justin “be kind to yourself” Nguyen

P.S: Success be looking like this.