How to Keep Healing When Life Disrupts Your Progress

The past few weeks have been emotionally layered—not loud, not chaotic, but quietly intense in a way that shifts something inside you.

Since the beginning of March, I’ve been intentional about staying grounded—mindset, habits, faith, and peace. I started Lent with clear goals: no social media, no fried foods or liquor, more prayer, discipline, and movement. I wanted to reconnect with my purpose and stay grounded in my routines.

But life has its own timing.

The night of March 12, I got out of the shower and saw a call and text from my mom. She told me they were performing CPR on my grandfather, and it wasn’t looking good.

I called my best friend. I called my husband. And I got in my car and drove to my grandfather’s house.

When I arrived, paramedics were under the carport, next to his car. He had collapsed there. I could see the top of his head as I walked up the hill, but I didn’t fully look. The area was crowded with responders, and one of them instructed me to go around to the side door because the rest of the family was inside.

My mom was crying. My grandmother was being helped by my sister. The responders were still working. I could only hear the CPR machine. Eventually, he was pronounced dead.

His body remained there—under the carport—for hours. We stayed with him through the attempts to revive him, the investigator's arrival, and finally, the funeral home coming to take him.

Even though we weren’t especially close, we did talk from time to time. I loved him. But my heart hurt more for my mom, my uncle, his wife, my siblings—those who were deeply connected to him. My grief showed up more in holding space than in heartbreak.

In the days that followed, I did what I could to support. I created the program for the funeral, put together a tribute video, and had a large canvas printed with his image. The funeral was Thursday, March 20. My cousin delivered a powerful eulogy on service, which felt deeply aligned with where I am in my own life.

During this time, I also gave myself permission to break a few of my fasts. I had fried food and drank a bit during the repass—not as a way of abandoning discipline, but to be present with my family. Sometimes healing means being flexible enough to feel the moment without guilt.

From March 13 through March 23, I allowed myself to slow down. I spent time with friends, hiked Arabia and Stone Mountain, meditated, and caught up on Suits (yes, I binged it). I talked to my stepson, cleaned, cooked, and just allowed life to flow in a less structured way.

But that doesn’t mean I disconnected from the work.

On March 24 and 25, I used my energy to catch up on my journaling and reflections from the scriptures I had been meditating on during Lent. The insights I wrote out from March 13–16 were some of the most grounding parts of my process:

• Jeremiah 29:11 reminded me that God's plan is already unfolding, and that the unknown doesn’t have to scare me when I know the planner.

• Colossians 3:23 called me to show up fully in whatever I do, especially as I returned to work. Not just for a paycheck or recognition—but as if I were doing it for God.

• Proverbs 16:3 reminded me that committing my plans to God removes the pressure to have everything figured out. That my job is obedience, not control.

• Romans 8:28 gave me peace that even the pain, confusion, or detours are still working for my good—because I’m aligned with a greater purpose.

These scriptures didn’t just comfort me—they challenged me. They challenged my control, my fear, my patterns of doing just enough. They invited me into deeper trust, greater presence, and more intentional service.

So yes, I was away from work. Yes, I let go of a strict schedule for a few days. But I wasn’t idle. I was healing. I was processing. I was learning how to release what I can’t control and to double down on what I can: how I love, how I show up, how I serve, and how I honor this journey.

If you’re in a space right now where you feel like you’ve stepped back, remember: a pause doesn’t mean you’ve lost your progress. Sometimes, it means you’re being prepared to return stronger, more focused, and more aligned.

I’m still healing. Still learning. Still showing up. And that’s more than enough.

So What’s the Problem This Blog Speaks To?

It speaks to the person who is doing the inner work but feels like life keeps interrupting their progress. The person who’s grieving and healing and growing—all at once—and doesn’t know how to hold it all. The person wondering:

• "How do I keep going when everything feels heavy?"

• "How do I honor my healing without falling behind?"

• "What if I’m doing everything right but still don’t feel okay?"

This is for the person who is still showing up, even when their world feels upside down.

5 Steps to Realign When Life Disrupts Your Healing

1. Reconnect to Your Why. Go back to what you set out to do. Ask: What was the original intention? Your clarity won’t come from the chaos—it’ll come from remembering your "why."

2. Let Grace and Discipline Coexist. Structure is powerful, but life is life. Give yourself grace for the pause. Then recommit. You don’t have to choose one or the other.

3. Rebuild in Small Steps. Whether it’s journaling, movement, prayer, or showing up for work—start small. Little acts of intentionality rebuild consistency without burnout.

4. Reflect Before You React. When everything feels off, pause. Journal. Meditate. Ask what the moment is here to teach you before rushing into solutions.

5. Return With Intention, Not Pressure. When you come back, don’t sprint. Move with purpose. Anchor yourself in what matters: your alignment, your faith, and your growth.

This journey is still unfolding. You are still becoming. And every step—even the hard ones—counts.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to stay present.

Keep healing. Keep going.

—Crystal

Need a starting point for your own realignment?

Download my free 5-Day Mindset Reset Workbook: Healing to Control the Controllables. It’s packed with powerful reflection questions, mindset prompts, and scripture-inspired guidance to help you create intentional momentum—no matter what season you’re in.

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You’re not alone in this. And you never have to figure it out by yourself.

Healing is possible. Alignment is available. And you’re right on time.

Let’s grow boldly together.