The goals keep moving. The to do list keeps growing. And without even realizing it, it becomes easy to measure life by everything that still hasn’t happened yet.

A version of you from one year ago wanted some of the things that are normal to you now. But when life feels busy or unfinished, growth can become invisible.

This journaling episode is a pause to actually notice what has changed. Not in a performative way. Not through productivity. Just honest reflection around who you were, what you’ve walked through, and what feels different now.

Journal prompts:

• Who were you one year ago? What were you tolerating, afraid of, or struggling with back then?
• What are three things that genuinely feel different now?
• What did it actually take for those changes to happen? What emotional weight did you carry along the way?
• If the version of you from one year ago could see you now, what would she say?

This episode is for the moments when it feels like nothing is working, nothing is changing, and you’re somehow still behind. Because sometimes progress looks quieter than expected.

Work with me:

1. The Leaders Table: https://www.samanthapenkoff.com/leaders-table
2. Breakthrough Intensive - You already know you should slow down, delegate more, stop overcommitting & be emotionally present. So why can't you? That's what we figure out in 90 minutes + integration call 1 week later. Book your Breakthrough
3. Exhale: Private Coaching - For women ready to do this work until it sticks and you can't revert back. 3 open spots: Work with me

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Welcome back to Beyond Awareness. I recorded an episode on Tuesday just before this one. And it was all about my reintroduction and five ways I have grown in the past year. After I recorded it, I have been sitting here because I just recorded it. And I've been thinking about how for you and even myself, there are so many ways that we have grown, but it's so easy to overlook them.

because we so often are in the trenches of what we're building. And we're in the trenches of doing the things. And sometimes we're even comparing ourselves to our to-do list and what we have yet to do, almost like we're looking backwards on what we haven't done yet or maybe even what we have failed on, the goal that we're behind on, a habit that didn't stick before that we've been trying to

get to stick or kind of future focused of the version of yourself that you're still working towards but you're not there yet. And so, so often we don't even think to look back far enough and at the same time notice where you are now and notice the growth that you've done and count that.

as progress and celebrate it. And not even celebrate as going to go get yourself a cup of coffee or plan a retreat or vacation, but celebrating just simply as noticing. And so that's what we're going to do today. So grab your journal or open up your Google Docs and let's dive in.

Prompt one. Think about who you were one year ago, how you were spending your time.

who you were tolerating or maybe what you were tolerating, what you were afraid of, how you were showing up at work or at home, any of the goals that you were going after or anything that you didn't want to be pursuing anymore. Write down anything that was going on about one year ago.

prompt to. Now write down three things that are genuinely different now. And they don't have to be perfect, amazing, huge differences, but just three things that are different.

Prompt three, pick one of those things, maybe the one that feels the biggest or the most impressive to you. What did it actually take for that to change? What did you have to feel, to face, or to let go of to get there? And I want you to give yourself credit for the full weight of that shift, not just

the outcome. So think about that messy middle right now.

and prompt for, if the version of you from one year ago could see you right now, what would she think? What would she be relieved about? And maybe what message does she have for you? Write it in her voice if you can.

Amazing job. I'm really proud of you because what you just wrote down and took the time to write is Evidence it's proof. It's proof that you're Working towards things and it's actually coming to fruition even if it's a little bit different than what you expected and I want to note that your to-do list will always have more stuff on it and your goals will keep stretching and that's not a problem that's just

who you are, you are ambitious, you are always going to have more and want to do more. It's just every once in a while, it's worth stopping and saying, wait, look at how far I've come. Let's not dangle the carrot further and further. Let's grab that carrot and take a bite of it, stop, pause, and pat yourself on the back. And I just want to pat you on the back right now through my voice.

and say amazing job. You are making progress even if it doesn't feel like huge progress. It's progress. I'm so proud of you.

Thank you for journaling with me today. Save this episode and come back to it on the days when you feel like you are in the trenches and nothing is moving forward, because I promise you it is. I'll see you next Tuesday.