How often do we notice the small steps forward? In a crisis especially, we get so overwhelmed by the bad that we lose sight of the good.

I ran into friends while out walking our dogs. We've talked before about our kids' struggles.

I asked how the summer was going, and she said, "No chairs have been thrown, no glasses broken."

"That's growth," I said. "I'm glad you noticed that. It means something."

He gave me a puzzled "Growth?" She said, "That was helpful. I already feel better."

I've been thinking about that conversation since. How often do we notice the small steps forward?

  • I didn't get yelled at today.
  • They came out of their room.
  • They said thank you.
  • A dish made it into the dishwasher.
  • I took a walk without being interrupted.
  • There's been no crisis in 24 hours.

How often do we pause and look back to see how far we've come?

Last summer, chairs were thrown and glasses broken. This summer, they weren't.

"It's so easy to focus on what's still wrong. And in a crisis especially, we get so overwhelmed by the bad that we lose sight of the good."

  • They went to the hospital.
  • They agreed to treatment.
  • They didn't try to escape treatment today.

What is one small thing that's different from yesterday? From last week? A month ago? A year ago?

"No matter how small, it's still a step forward."

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