F**k the Timeline: You're Not Behind, You're Exactly Where You Need to Be
Sorry, I have not posted for a while, but here is something super important I would love to talk about. You know that feeling that creeps in around 2 AM? The one that whispers you should have it all figured out by now? That by 30 you should be married, by 25 you should know your career path, by 35 you should have kids, a house, a retirement plan, and somehow still look 22?
Yeah. Let's talk about that.
The Timeline That Wasn't Made for You
Society handed us a script we never auditioned for. Somewhere along the way, someone decided there was a "right" timeline for life, and we've been measuring ourselves against it ever since. Women especially carry this burden, the biological clock narrative, the marriage pressure, the career vs. family, the constant sense that time is running out. (p.s no-one handed me the rulebook)
But here's what they don't tell you: that timeline is bulls**t.
It was created by a society that doesn't reflect who you are, what you want, or what your unique journey requires. And the most radical thing you can do is refuse to measure your worth by someone else's milestones.
If You're Feeling "Behind," Read This
You're not behind. You're not failing. You're not broken.
You're simply on your timeline, and that timeline is valid, beautiful, and exactly right for you.
Maybe you're 32 and still figuring out what you want to do with your life. Maybe you're 28 and single when all your friends are getting engaged. Maybe you're 40 and just starting over. Maybe you're 25 and exhausted from pretending you have it all together.
Wherever you are, I need you to hear this: You are not too late. You are not too much. You are not not enough.
Calming Tools When the Pressure Feels Heavy
When that voice tells you you're falling behind, here are some ways to ground yourself back into truth:
1. Morning Grounding Rituals
Before you reach for your phone (and the comparison spiral that comes with it), spend 5-10 minutes reconnecting with yourself:
Place your hand on your heart and take three deep breaths
Say out loud: "I am safe. I am exactly where I need to be. I trust my timing."
Move your body, stretch, dance, shake out the anxiety
Look in the mirror and speak kindly to the person looking back
2. Reprogram Your Subconscious Mind
Your subconscious believes what you tell it repeatedly. Start feeding it truth instead of fear:
Morning affirmations: "My timeline is perfect for me. I am not in competition with anyone. I am building a life that's mine."
Evening reflection: Before bed, list three things that went right today, no matter how small
Reframe the narrative: When you catch yourself thinking "I should be further along," replace it with "I'm learning what I need to know for what's coming next"
3. The Comparison Detox
Social media is a highlight reel of everyone else's carefully curated timelines. Remember:
Their middle looks like your middle too, you just don't see it
Success isn't linear for anyone, despite what the posts suggest
Someone else's milestone doesn't diminish your journey
Consider taking breaks from accounts that trigger your comparison anxiety
4. Reality Check Your "Shoulds"
Write down all the things you think you "should" have done by now. Then ask yourself:
Who says this is a requirement?
Do I actually want this, or do I think I'm supposed to want it?
What would I do with my life if I weren't afraid of judgment?
Cross out every "should" that isn't authentically yours.
5. Celebrate Your Actual Progress
You've survived every hard day so far. You've learned things only your specific struggles could teach you. You've grown in ways that aren't on any timeline checklist. That matters. That counts. Write down:
Three things you've overcome
Three skills you've developed
Three ways you're different (better, stronger, wiser) than you were a year ago
6. Connect with Your Body
Anxiety about timelines lives in your head. Ground back into your body:
Progressive muscle relaxation (tense and release each muscle group)
Cold water on your wrists or face (tells your nervous system you're safe)
Humming or singing (activates your vagus nerve and calms your system)
Walking barefoot on grass or earth
7. Find Your People
Surround yourself with people who celebrate unconventional paths, who understand that life isn't a race, who remind you that you're not behind, you're just on a different route. And that route is valid.
A Reminder When You Need It Most
There is no finish line where you suddenly "arrive" and everything is perfect. Life is not a checklist. Your worth is not determined by what you've accomplished by an arbitrary age.
Some of the most extraordinary lives were built by people who:
Started over at 35
Found love at 42
Discovered their purpose at 50
Had their first child at 39
Built their dream career at 47
Travelled the world at 60
Your timeline is not society's timeline. And that's not just okay, it's exactly as it should be.
Every morning when you wake up, remind yourself: I am safe. I am not behind. I am exactly where my journey has brought me, and I trust what's unfolding.
Because you're not late, love. You're right on time.
✨ Ready to feel supported as you rise?
Come join Glow Up Society, my free community for women rebuilding after burnout, heartbreak, or identity loss.
This is your space to reconnect, reset, and glow from the inside out.
👉 Join us here
What timeline pressure are you releasing today? What would your life look like if you trusted your own timing? Remember: you don't owe anyone an explanation for your pace. You're not behind. You got this.
