Lost Momentum? Try Looking Back Instead of Pushing Forward

Photo credit: Dmytro Buianskyi (iStock)

It’s easy to feel stuck when progress isn’t obvious.

You might be writing less than you were last month. You might be questioning whether anything you create lately is any good. Maybe you’re even wondering if this season of your life is meant for songwriting at all.

When we lose momentum, our instinct is often to push harder, set new goals, or guilt ourselves into “getting back on track.” But sometimes, the most helpful thing we can do isn’t to force our way forward—it’s to look back.

In meditation, we’re often taught to stay in the present—to notice thoughts as they arise, let them go, and gently return to the now. We’re told not to dwell on the past or get lost in the future. And there’s great wisdom in that.

But there’s also value in looking back with purpose.

Because your current reality? It was once just an idea. A dream. A faint possibility.

And now, here you are—further along than you were. Maybe even further than you thought you could be.

In the rush to move forward, it’s easy to overlook the distance you’ve already travelled. You might find yourself stuck, frustrated, doubting your next step—or whether you're even on the right path.

But if you pause, trace the thread backwards, and reflect with intention, you may find more strength, clarity, and momentum than you realised you had.

A Guided Reflection on Your Songwriting Journey

Here’s a short reflective exercise to help you reconnect with how far you’ve come.

Step 1: Revisit the Starting Line

Think back to the moment you first began your songwriting journey. This could be your first ever song, a workshop you attended, a conversation that sparked it all—whatever stands out as your true beginning.

Step 2: Capture the Scene

What did that time feel like?

Try to recall:

• What your mindset was

• What doubts or fears were present

• How many songs you’d written (if any)

• What your creative process looked like

  
  

Write a few sentences—or even a short verse—describing that version of you.

Step 3: Trace the Thread

Now, think about what’s changed. In your skills. Your confidence. Your consistency.

• What do you know now that you didn’t then?

• How has your songwriting grown?

• What wins or milestones stand out—even the quiet ones?

Write down a few key moments or insights that remind you of the distance you’ve travelled.

Step 4: Look Ahead (Gently)

You don’t have to map the whole road forward. But jot down one intention or gentle goal for your creative life in the coming season—something that honours your pace and your progress.

You may find that the person who once struggled to start a single song is now someone who writes through fear, who keeps going through dry spells, who dares to care about their work enough to feel frustrated by it.

That’s not lost momentum. That’s growth.

Progress Isn’t Always Loud

Momentum doesn’t always look like finished drafts or daily writing streaks.

Sometimes it looks like:

• Showing up even when you feel stuck

• Writing one line and deciding that’s enough

• Not giving up, even when no one’s watching

If you’ve been feeling behind, remember:

You’re not where you were.

You’re still moving—even if it’s slower than you’d like.

And that matters.

Progress isn’t always forward. Sometimes it circles back. Sometimes it pauses. But it never erases what you’ve already done.

Songwriting Like a Backstitch

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When we talked about tracing the thread of your journey, it brought to mind a particular sewing technique: the backstitch.

It’s not the fastest or most decorative stitch, but it’s one of the strongest. Every forward movement loops back through the previous stitch, reinforcing what’s already there. Each pass strengthens the line, anchoring the present to the past.

Your songwriting journey might feel a bit like that. Each time you show up, write a line, or return to the page after a pause, you’re not starting over—you’re building on what came before. Even in the moments when it feels like you’re not moving forward, there’s a through-line holding everything together.

So before you try to push through your frustration, take a moment to look back.

Let that be your reminder: you don’t have to rush to the finish. The strength is in the stitching.

💬 We’d love to hear from you—what has your songwriting journey taught you so far?

Whether it’s a moment you’re proud of, a lesson you’ve learned, or just how it feels to look back—share your reflections in the comments below.