On Being a Work in Progress
A quote widely attributed to Sophia Bush goes, “You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously.” I think this is a beautiful reimagining of how we view ourselves. Being unfinished isn’t a flaw, it is simply the truth of being human. It’s unrealistic to believe there’s no growth left for us to experience, and unkind to assume that the presence of growth automatically means the presence of imperfection.
Culturally, we’re taught to have everything “figured out” from a young age. When I was eleven, one of my middle school assignments was to take a personality test designed to match us with potential careers. By the time you start high school at fourteen, you’re expected to either push for the grades that will get you into your dream university or decide that you’d prefer trade school or the workforce. I remember thinking I had it all worked out. My personality test results listed careers I might excel in – most of them in medicine – and I decided, quite decisively, that I wanted to be an anesthesiologist. From that day forward, I believed I had to be perfect to achieve my goal.
So when something imperfect happened to me, I didn’t know how to cope. I felt like I had ruined the rest of my life. Granted, everything feels like the end of the world at that age, but the pressure was real. The idea that we’re supposed to have our lives mapped out – and that once we reach our “final version” everything will be sunshine and rainbows – is a myth. Over time, we evolve. Our aspirations, goals, and dreams evolve with us. We don’t have to be perfect; we just have to be true to ourselves. The rest has a way of unfolding naturally.
Transformation doesn’t happen in a straight line. We loop back, we regress, we stumble into breakthroughs. Change isn’t comfortable, and it isn’t meant to be. Healing isn’t linear, so progress can’t be either. During my own evolution in college, I had both soaring days and crushing ones. Some mornings I’d wake up ready to move mountains, and others I couldn’t escape the weight of old memories. But over time, even through the setbacks, I realized something: every step, no matter how small or messy, was still movement forward.
The most important step in progression is learning to speak to yourself with grace. More often than not, your greatest and most influential critic is you. That’s why practicing self-love isn’t just nice, it’s essential. Positive self-talk is the way forward. You must allow yourself the space to make mistakes and learn from them, because that’s the most common way we grow. Let go of comparisons, both with others and with the person you used to be. I will never again be the happy-go-lucky child who sat in the backseat waving at strangers, or the girl who blasted the radio and sang with my dad on the way to cheer practice. I will also never again be the depressed college student who couldn’t show up for herself or for her friends. And that is okay! The person I am today was built from every version of me – the good, the bad, and the messy in between. So grant yourself compassion. Rest without guilt. Forgive yourself for setbacks. And celebrate every single win – even, and especially, the small ones.
The truth is, being a work in progress is a gift. It means we’re not trapped in one version of ourselves. We have the freedom to grow, to shift, and to become. We are still unfolding. When we embrace curiosity and wonder, we keep ourselves open to the lessons and beauty the world has to offer. Change, even when it’s messy or uncomfortable, is beautiful. And nothing is ever wasted when you’re still learning. Every step, detour, and stumble is shaping who you are becoming.
So Reader, where are you still growing? And how can you honor each growing piece of you with patience and love?
