Today hasn’t been great for me. 

I attend Spanish language school every day for two hours, but this morning, I felt so frustrated with my progress that I actually started crying. It seemed like despite all the hours I’ve put in, I’m still nowhere (which isn’t true, but it’s how I felt).

I returned to my apartment feeling defeated. Over coffee, I reflected on similar moments in my life.

When I was around 20, working 12+ hours a day while my friends were enjoying their time at university, I remember climbing a ladder in our filing room and crying from frustration. I just didn’t want to continue my articles.

Today, I’m enjoying my 30s without formal work, and I know none of this would have been possible if I hadn’t worked so hard in my 20s.

Four years ago, I started doing yoga with a teacher who came to my apartment every morning. In the beginning, I hated most mornings—I was frustrated and often visibly annoyed.

Today, yoga is one of my favorite activities and has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve “mastered” in my life.

These reflections reminded me that if I keep showing up for Spanish class, I will eventually master it too. This struggle is part of the process of achieving anything in life.

If there’s something frustrating you right now, I hope you find inspiration in this message and keep going too.

The beginning is difficult, the middle is messy, but if you keep going, the end is beautiful.

I’m not feeling better about my progress, but I’m motivated to show up for class again tomorrow, and hopefully, in a year or two, I’ll look back on this email and know it was all worth it.

Keep going!