The Gift of the Journey: Why True Growth Takes Time

“How long do you think it’ll take to see change?”
“If we start today, will we feel different by next week?”
“So… how long do we have to wait? We just want things to get better already!”

Sound familiar? Many of us find ourselves growing impatient with the process. We want change now- not tomorrow, not in a month, and certainly not in a year. Honestly, we’d prefer if it had already happened yesterday.

Change Takes Time

Coming out of a crisis, hardship, or emotional struggle always involves a process. Rarely does someone go from exile to redemption in an instant. Even the Exodus from Egypt- though swift- was followed by a long period of preparation before the Israelites could receive the Torah or enter the Land of Israel.

In the Torah portion “Bechukotai,” it says, “If you walk in My statutes.” Why use the word “walk”? Wouldn’t it be clearer to say “if you observe My laws”? The phrase hints that spiritual growth isn’t just about keeping commandments, but it’s about walking the path, moving forward, engaging in a journey.

We’ve just completed the Counting of the Omer- a time specifically dedicated to preparation. The Torah couldn’t be received without this period of growth. Leaving Egypt physically was instantaneous, but leaving Egypt emotionally and mentally- removing its influence from their hearts- was a journey that took time, refinement, and transformation. The same is true for us.

The Path Is the Growth

We are unable to reach our goals, grow, or succeed, without walking the road. That entails making mistakes, questioning things, falling and getting back up. It means trying again, feeling pain, feeling joy, and continuing to move forward.

The days of the Omer remind us that real change takes time, requiring self-awareness, internal work, and patience.

Enjoying the Ride

We often struggle with impatience. We want to get married yesterday, resolve conflict last week, buy a house now, and finish our degree next Thursday.

What can we do when the wait feels unbearable?

Do you remember long car rides as a child? We used to whine, “Are we there yet?” And our parents would gently say: “Look out the window. Enjoy the scenery. The ride is part of the experience.”

If we see the road as just an obstacle to get through, it can feel endless and frustrating. But when we shift our perspective and realize that there’s meaning in the journey itself, everything changes.

This mindset brings energy, life, and purpose to the steps we take along the way. It helps us appreciate the small wins, the moments of clarity, the relationships that blossom, and even the challenges that shape us.

If we only focus on the end goal, we risk missing everything good that happens along the way. We may feel despair if the goal seems far away or uncertain- but when we’re present for the now, we see beauty in the moments we’re living.

Living for Today

I once spoke to a remarkable woman who had been married for many years but had no children. She told me something unforgettable: "If I wait to have children in order to be happy, I’ll waste my life. I don’t know how long this road will take, or if it will ever end the way I hope. So I’ve decided to live for today. To feel joy now, in this moment, not only for the future, but for myself, today."

Patience doesn’t mean sitting around. It means staying committed, engaged, and alive, even when the destination hasn’t yet appeared.

The journey isn’t what you endure to get to your life. The journey is your life.

Odelia Maimon (MA) is a couples and individual therapist, group facilitator, and lecturer, and manages the "Inner Treasures" center. For feedback: otsarpnimi@gmail.com