Rethinking Health Progress: Why Looking Back Can Move You Forward
Most of us think progress means forward motion.
More energy. Fewer symptoms. Better labs. A body that feels easier to live in.
But recently, I was reminded that progress does not always work that way.
I went into a planning session expecting to focus on what comes next. Goals, direction, momentum. Instead, we spent most of our time looking back at the year that had just passed.
At first, it felt counterintuitive. Why look backward when the goal is to move forward?
But something interesting happened. As we slowed down and reflected, the pieces that had felt confusing or heavy started to make sense. Patterns emerged. Decisions felt clearer. The way forward became more obvious, not because we pushed harder, but because we paused long enough to notice what had already happened.
This comes up constantly in health, too.
Why progress can be hard to see in your body
When you are dealing with fatigue, digestive issues, hormone shifts, or brain fog, it is natural to focus on what still is not working.
You might be thinking:
I still do not have the energy I want.
My digestion is better, but not perfect.
I thought I would feel further along by now.
What often gets missed is how much has already changed.
In practice, I see this all the time. Someone will describe everything that still feels off, without realizing that:
They are sleeping more consistently than they were six months ago.
Their digestion is more predictable, even if not ideal.
Their energy no longer crashes as hard or as often.
Their symptoms respond more quickly to support than they used to.
The body has been making quiet progress, even if the finish line is not in sight yet.
Progress is not created by pushing harder
Clarity does not come from forcing your body to move faster.
It comes from noticing patterns.
When you slow down enough to look back, you can see what actually helped and what quietly drained you. You can identify which supports made a difference and which ones were just noise. This information matters, because it allows you to move forward with steadiness instead of urgency.
If you feel open to it, here are a few gentle questions to sit with:
What feels more stable in your body now than it did earlier this year?
What has improved, even slightly?
What habits or supports helped you feel better, rather than depleted?
This is not about settling or stopping.
It is about seeing the full picture.
Eat before your stress eats you
Start your day with a balanced breakfast—ideally within 60 minutes of waking. Focus on protein, healthy fats, and something grounding like root veggies or oats.
Why it matters:
Skipping breakfast forces your body to use cortisol to keep blood sugar stable. That’s like running on your emergency reserves all day.
📝 Try this: Scrambled cottage cheese eggs with avocado and sweet potatoes. Or a protein smoothie with nut butter and spinach.
Pause early, not when you’re already wiped
Start noticing the first signs of depletion—like mid-morning yawns, irritability, or rereading the same sentence over and over.
Why it matters:
Taking a break early helps you avoid a full-on crash. It gives your system space to recover without running on fumes.
📝 Try this: Set a midday “pause” reminder on your phone to check in: Do I need food? Water? A breath?
Salt your food (yes, really)
If you’re craving salt, your body might be asking for more minerals. The adrenals help regulate sodium and potassium, especially when cortisol is low.
Why it matters:
Low sodium can lead to dizziness, fatigue, or increased anxiety. This is about real mineral support, not processed food.
📝 Try this: Add unrefined sea salt or Himalayan salt to your morning water or sprinkle a bit more on your meals.
Redefine “rest” as something that fills your tank
Scrolling your phone isn’t rest. Neither is folding laundry while a podcast plays. True rest is quiet, intentional time that helps your system reset.
Why it matters:
Your nervous system needs calm time to restore balance. That’s when your adrenals get to recover.
📝 Try this: Restorative yoga, legs-up-the-wall, or just sitting outside with your eyes closed for five minutes.
Move gently, not aggressively
When you’re feeling depleted, skip high-intensity workouts. Choose slower, rhythmic movement instead.
Why it matters:
Gentle movement supports circulation and balances blood sugar without spiking cortisol or draining your reserves.
📝 Try this: Go for a walk, stretch, do some light Pilates, or dance in your kitchen. And if you’re tired, resting is productive too.
They give us insight into what’s happening beneath the surface so we can assess how well your body is functioning and what areas might need support.
Labs are simply tools to help us find the root cause of any imbalance and adjust your protocol accordingly.
Looking back is part of moving forward
You do not have to erase where you have been to move ahead.
In fact, recognizing progress is often what creates enough safety in the body to keep going without pressure. When the nervous system feels acknowledged instead of rushed, healing tends to unfold more naturally.
Health is rarely linear. It is responsive, adaptive, and deeply personal.
Sometimes the most meaningful step forward starts with noticing how far you have already come.
If reflections like this resonate with you, I share thoughts like these in my weekly email newsletter. It’s where I explore foundational health, symptom patterns, and what it really looks like to support your body without pushing it harder.