Weekly Check-In: Growth That's Not Flashy, One Day at a Time

Hey everyone — welcome to another weekly check-in.

I write these posts to help me process what has (or hasn’t) happened over the week. I’m analytical by nature, so this is a way for me to look honestly at what went well, what didn’t, and what patterns I might need to pay attention to going forward. More than anything, it helps me stay grounded and reinforces routine. I hope you get something from this, but even if you don’t, this practice matters for me.

What Stood Out This Week

On Monday, I attended an AA meeting to celebrate one of my roommate’s first year of sobriety. I think it’s important for me to show up for things like this. We all need someone in our corner, and our community can be pretty isolated at times. This experience exposed me to a world I’m not personally familiar with — I’ve never struggled with substance use — but my roommates don’t struggle with the same things I do either. If we’re going to walk this road together, we need to support one another through our own battles.

On Tuesday, I attended Whitestone, which was a real blessing, as it usually is. One thing I continue to wrestle with is judgment — especially toward others. I’m keenly aware of how often I’m judged, and how much that hurts, yet this has been a lifelong struggle for me. I tend to judge people with substance issues harshly, and I know that’s tied to my childhood. My parents were lifelong addicts, and their behavior did real damage. That history still shapes my reactions, even when I wish it didn’t. Naming that doesn’t fix it, but it does help me stay honest about where the work still is.

I’m also trying to step outside my comfort zone socially. I’m talking to more people at work and making an effort to be present. I haven’t shared my past with anyone there, though it’s always possible someone knows. I had a brief interaction with a co-worker this week that gave me pause and caused me to pull back a bit. Part of what’s difficult for me is that I don’t always read social cues well, and I tend to overthink situations. I don’t believe I did anything wrong — but I’m also learning that sometimes discomfort shows up even when no one is at fault.

A Thought I’m Sitting With Right Now

I’ve been reflecting on the changes God has worked in me over the last four years, and especially over the past six to nine months. One area where I’ve seen real progress — though not perfection — is in self-control and how I relate to temptation. I don’t struggle in the same ways I once did. Am I finished growing? Absolutely not. But I am moving forward.

One of the most meaningful things I hear is when others tell me I’m not the same person I was years ago. Scripture puts words to that reality better than I can:

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

I don’t always feel new. But I’m learning to trust that change can be real even when it’s quiet.

What’s Next for Me

• Whitestone on Tuesday (always)

• Work Wednesday from 8:00 PM to 12:30 AM

• NCM Bible study on Thursday

• Men’s Bible study Friday at Peace Tower Church, followed by counselling at CFS

• A short work shift Friday evening

• Work Saturday from 4:30 PM to midnight

• Church Sunday, followed by work from 8:00 PM to 12:30 AM

Nothing big or flashy. Just structure, consistency, and showing up.

That’s where I’m at this week. Nothing remarkable on the outside, but a lot of quiet work happening underneath. I’m learning that consistency matters more than intensity, and that showing up — even imperfectly — still counts.

If you’re reading this and your life feels slow, repetitive, or unremarkable right now, I get it. Sometimes growth doesn’t look like forward motion at all — it just looks like staying put and not giving up.

Thanks for walking this stretch with me. One day at a time.