The Kind of Perseverance No One Claps For

If you’re in a season where you’re trying… really trying… and it still feels like nothing is moving, I want to say something to you right up front.

I see you.

Not the polished version of you. Not the “I’m fine” version. I mean the you who keeps going while quietly wondering if you’re wasting your time.

The you who is doing the work that doesn’t show results on demand.

The you who is trying to heal, build, change, create, stay sober, leave a pattern, start a business, write the book, rebuild your life, repair the relationship, start over at 60, parent with more patience, stop yelling, stop people pleasing, stop pretending.

This kind of perseverance doesn’t look impressive from the outside.

It looks slow. It looks messy. It looks like showing up again after you swore you weren’t going to.

It looks like effort that doesn’t get witnessed.

And that’s the part that can make it brutal.

Because when no one is clapping, the mind starts filling in the blanks.

Maybe I’m not good at this.
Maybe I’m behind.
Maybe I’m too much.
Maybe I’m not enough.
Maybe nobody cares.
Maybe this isn’t working.
Maybe I should stop.

That voice is not a sign you’re failing.

That voice is what shows up when you’re doing something that requires patience, commitment, and heart.

And most things worth doing do.

The Hardest Part of Perseverance

The hardest part isn’t starting.

It’s continuing when the novelty wears off.

It’s continuing when the results don’t match the effort.

It’s continuing when you’re doing your best and it still feels like you’re crawling.

It’s continuing when people don’t get it… or worse… they’re casually dismissive, and you have to decide whether you’re going to hand them the steering wheel to your life.

Perseverance asks something most of us were never taught.

It asks you to live without constant proof.

To keep walking without guarantees.

To keep offering your gifts without knowing who they’re going to land on.

And yes… that can mess with your self worth.

Because when you’re trying hard and the world stays quiet, it starts to feel personal.

But here’s what I’ve learned, both from my own life and from watching other people fight for their lives in their own private ways.

Your work counts, even when it’s quiet.

Quiet Work Still Works

Some of the most meaningful shifts in our lives happen in ways no one can see.

It happens in the moment you pause before snapping at someone.

It happens in the moment you tell the truth instead of keeping the peace.

It happens in the moment you stop sending the text that always ends with you begging for crumbs.

It happens when you get up and go for the walk even though you don’t want to.

It happens when you say no without giving a ten minute explanation.

It happens when you speak to yourself differently.

It happens when you return to the thing you care about after a day or two of being down in the dumps.

That’s not weakness.

That’s perseverance with a pulse.

And sometimes the only “win” is this:

You didn’t abandon yourself.

A Personal Truth About Me

I’ve been building WILDD Hearts for a long time.

It started over ten years ago in my home, with a few women and folding chairs, because we needed real conversation. The kind that doesn’t fix you, sell you, or judge you. Just real.

Over time I added workshops. I started writing weekly blogs. I kept showing up even when the response was small and the path felt unclear.

And now I’m building WILDD Hearts Conversations on Skool, more than a year in.

Here’s the honest truth.

There are days I run a live call and no one shows up.

And I still teach.

I’ll present the topic anyway, even if it’s just me, my notes, and a screen. Sometimes I feel steady. Sometimes I feel embarrassed. Sometimes I cry afterward. Sometimes I stare into space and think, “Why am I doing this?”

Because I have the same doubts you do.

Why would anyone want to hear what I have to say?
Am I good enough?
Is this worth it?
What if I’m wasting my time?

I let myself feel it. A day. Maybe two.

Then I get back on the horse.

Not because I’m made of confidence. I’m not.

I do it because something in me believes this:

Each of us is supposed to put our gifts into the world.

Not when we’re perfect. Not when we’re fully healed. Not when we have a big audience.

Now.

Because our healing changes us.

And when we change, we show up differently with our families, our friends, our communities.

And then they do too.

That’s how the ripple works.

Not with big speeches. With real people doing their work.

If You’re Discouraged Right Now

Let me offer you something practical. Not fluff.

If you’re discouraged, ask yourself these three questions:

1. What is my next best step?
   Not the whole plan. Just the next true step.

2. What would it look like to keep going without punishing myself?
   Because a lot of us keep going, but we keep going while tearing ourselves apart.

3. Who do I need around me while I do this?
   Not “who likes my posts.”
   Who actually gets it. Who helps me remember I’m not crazy for caring.

And if your answer is “I don’t have that,” I want you to know you’re not alone.

A lot of people are trying to do deep life work with no real support.

That’s one reason I started WILDD Hearts in the first place.

A Soft Invitation

If you’re craving a space where you can talk about your real life without performing it, that’s what WILDD Hearts Conversations is.

It’s a community for women who are done pretending, and who want depth, truth, and connection as they figure out what’s next.

We gather weekly. We reflect. We tell the truth. We do the quiet work together.

Just a place to keep going… with company.  Here’s the Link.

With love,

Diana
Love is ALL there is