I came back from a weekend road trip last week to two incredibly productive days of work. 

Seriously, I was on fire. 

Have you ever had days like that? The kind of days where everything just clicks and the ideas are flowing and everything just feels like it’s falling into place? I felt like I got more done in just those two days than I would normally accomplish in two weeks.

And it felt so good.

By the time I finally walked away from my desk on Thursday evening, I was feeling so fired up about the new projects I’ve been working on, and I felt ready to conquer the world.

And then—less than 24 hours later—I got off a call with a friend who mentioned she'd just had her biggest month ever in business.

And just like that, all my confidence went right out the window.

The comparison monster reared its ugly head yet again.

It's wild how fast that voice creeps in. 

Why am I not further along?

Did I take a wrong turn?

Maybe I've already peaked.

And the worst part? I KNOW better. I truly do. 

I've spent years coaching people on mindset and overcoming fear and letting go of imposter syndrome, and stepping out of the comparison trap.

And it’s so easy to spot it in my clients.

That moment one of my TAS clients is making incredible progress, steadily losing weight, and feeling better than she has in years. Then she sees another client’s big win and suddenly feels like her own progress isn’t happening fast enough.

Or when one of my Powerhouse clients has their best launch ever, but still isn’t happy because it wasn’t as big as the expectations they had set for themselves, based on what they’ve seen other people do.

Every time, I want to grab them by the shoulders and say, "STOP IT! YOU'RE DOING AMAZING! This is YOUR path—it doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing.”

But the truth? I fall for it too.

I was thinking about all of this on Sunday morning as I sat in church listening to a sermon that felt like it was written JUST for me. It was all about how God uses us differently in different seasons—and how just because your circumstances change doesn't mean your calling is gone. It just means you have to be open to how God wants to use you in this season.

That hit me hard.

Because if I'm honest, this whole past year has felt like a weird in-between season. 

In my personal life, I’ve never felt happier or more grounded or more fulfilled. I love being at our home in the country with my husband and dogs. I love how my relationship with my girls is evolving as they grow into independent young women. I love spending my free days cooking and doing projects around the house and hosting our friends. 

But professionally? It's been a lot harder. I've felt off-track. Foggy. Insecure. I don’t always feel like I’m crushing it. The market has changed. The economy has changed. 

And I’ve changed.

So when I hear about someone else succeeding, it’s hard to not immediately feel like somehow I’m screwing up or missing out.

But this week I was reminded that seasons come and go.

And that it doesn’t really matter where anyone else is at right now, because my journey is my own.

And yours is too.

Jon Acuff once said, "Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle" Along those same lines, Christine Caine wrote, "Sometimes when you're in a dark place, you think you've been buried, but you've actually been planted."

In other words? Maybe this current season is just preparing you for what’s next.

That's what I'm reminding myself of right now. 

That underneath all the uncertainty and the questions and the doubt, there's something taking root that I can't quite see yet. That the strength I need for whatever's coming next is being built in this exact moment.

And I think sometimes we get so caught up in what we think our path is supposed to look like, we miss the richness of the path we're actually on.

But I've been through enough dark seasons in my life now to know that the light always comes back. Always. And usually what waits on the other side is better than anything I could have imagined.

So my challenge for you this week is to take a step back from the comparison trap. Ask yourself: what if this season—exactly as it is—is preparing you for something you couldn't handle before? What if the detour is actually the path?

And then hit reply and tell me about a time when what felt like a setback actually set you up for something better. I'd love to hear your story. Or if you're in a tough season right now and just need someone to listen or pray, I'm here for that too.

Live with purpose, friend, and have a joy-filled week!

xoxo, Ruth

P.S. One of the projects I’ve been working on is launching next week, and I can’t wait to get it in your hands! It’s something totally different from anything I’ve ever created before, a totally mindset-focused audio masterclass called Unstoppable Weight Loss that is designed to help you overcome the mental blocks that so often get in our way and cause us to self-sabotage when it comes to our health. It’s launching next Monday, but if you join the waitlist HERE you can get early access plus more than $250 in very cool bonuses.

This week’s podcast episode…

What’s cooking in my kitchen…

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The latest from my Instagram…

Instagram is my jam! If you’re there too, I’d love to connect with you—find me at @RuthSoukup or @ruthsoukupbiz for online business tips!

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