When you’re in the midst of turmoil, it can be hard to remain calm and difficult to see progress. Abundant examples of this happened when David and Launda Wheatley sailed across the Atlantic with two other crew aboard the Ruby May.
Many days seemed to produce no forward momentum. Sometimes the sails were slack and progress was nonexistent. Other days, storms battered them and it was all they could do to move with the tremendous swells, and those didn’t ever take them where they wanted to go.
How do you keep perspective when your present circumstances seem grim and hope is in short supply? Take a longer view.
The good ship Ruby May actually was making headway. On any given day, it may not have felt like it. However, stepping back and looking over a longer view helps to keep perspective on the fact that progress is real and meaningful.
My kids went through a tough time years ago. It was very hard to stay calibrated to the fact that things were getting better. On any given day, it didn’t feel like they were! The trend was positive, but it was all too easy to feel hopeless on days when they struggled.
Whether it’s a project that feels colossal, a family crisis or a long-term major change process, look back to see that you are going forward. The seeds you planted and nurtured are growing. Your sails are indeed full.