When You’re Doing Everything Right… and It Still Feels Like Nothing’s Working
A quiet day in the mountains reminded me what this week is really about.
💛 The Journey Isn’t Always Peaceful
Hey Golden Whiskers family,
I took this photo yesterday in the mountains of North Carolina. The Fall colors were bursting—orange, gold, deep crimson—and for a moment, I finally let my shoulders drop.
I needed a break.
Because as I write this, we’re just six days away from Tails on Trails, and I’ll be honest… I’m not exactly at peace.
We have 56 hikers signed up, which is amazing, but it’s been three days since the last person registered—and my brain won’t stop spinning.
I keep refreshing the registration page like it’s a stock ticker, waiting for it to move.
Even after recording a whole podcast episode about detaching from the outcome, here I am, still wrestling with it in real time.
If you missed that episode, you can listen to it here…
🧭 The Test of Letting Go
This is the test, isn’t it?
It’s easy to say “trust the journey” when things are going well.
It’s a lot harder when the sign-ups stop coming in and the doubts start whispering:
What if no one shows up? What if I let the vendors down? What if all this work doesn’t pay off?
That’s when I know it’s time to step away and find perspective—literally.
That’s why I went to the mountains yesterday.
To breathe.
To look out over the trees and remember that some of the best things in life grow quietly.
We just can’t see them yet.
🔁 Consistency, Persistence, and the Fitness Analogy
In the second half of this week’s episode, I talked about consistency and persistence—and how they always pay off, just not immediately.
It’s the same in fitness.
You can eat healthy today and go for a long walk, but the scale won’t show it tomorrow.
Do it for a month, though, and the results appear.
That’s what I’m reminding myself right now.
The social media posts, the emails, the late nights, the vendor calls—none of it feels like it’s working today.
But it’s all adding up.
The work I did last week and last month is showing up now.
The work I do today and tomorrow will ripple into Friday.
It’s the same for any goal you care deeply about.
You plant seeds. You water them. You show up.
And even if it feels like nothing’s happening, growth is happening underground.
🌿 A Quiet Promise to Myself
Standing there on the overlook, I made myself a promise:
To enjoy these final six days.
To trust that the right people will show up.
To remember why I started this in the first place—to honor Mia and Nomar, and to help others heal through love, community, and connection.
They wouldn’t want me to stress over numbers.
They’d want me to breathe, to smile, and to keep walking.
🎧 If You Missed This Week’s Episode
This week’s solo episode is called “What a Pet Event Taught Me About Letting Go”, and it’s a short reflection on this exact struggle.
🎙️ Listen here.
🐾 Cattitude Prompt
When was the last time you almost gave up—only to realize the progress was quietly happening all along?
Hit reply and tell me, or leave a comment. I’d love to hear what you’re working toward right now, even if the results aren’t visible yet.
📅 Join Us on Saturday
If you’re near Knoxville, come hike with us at Tails on Trails on October 25.
Let’s walk, honor, and celebrate together.