Sometimes life can be tough. Events can take our breath away. Getting back on our feet seems an impossible task, yet we must. 

Setbacks in life are normal. We plan, but not all our plans work out the way we want. Sometimes it feels like we just can’t get there from here. You know what I mean, don’t you? It’s like the saying, “The harder I try, the farther behind I get.” Moving forward often feels like two steps forward and three steps back.

I’ve come to the conclusion that we’re sometimes in too much of a hurry to move forward. In trying to move forward, we miss out on some very important lessons we need to learn. Take grief, for example. Many seem to want to rush through it. Sadly, friends and family may tell us we’re taking too long and that we should move on. But is that necessarily true? How many stages of grief are there? What happens if we try to skip a few? If we try to avoid them, will they come back to bite us later?

Denial is another way we keep ourselves from moving forward. We stuff hurt, pain, and emotions as if they never happened. Claiming to be okay on the outside while never taking care of the inside doesn’t move us forward; it keeps us stuck. “I’m tough; I can take it” may work in the movies, but it doesn’t work in the real world. Trying to go through difficulties alone is foolish. When you’re in the pit of despair, it’s not the time for someone to tell you to “Snap out of it.” You need someone to walk with you on the journey. Getting from here to there is a journey. It’s a journey that involves a decision and a plan. Pride keeps us from asking for help. Seeking help to move forward is not a bad thing; it’s the smart thing. The only caveat is who you ask for help. The one you want is the one who will really help, not someone who will just tell you what you want to hear. Perhaps the starting point is admitting that you need to move forward. Think about it.