One Foot in Front of the Other: What Momentum Really Means to Me By Frankie Alisha

​I’m turning 42 soon.
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That number isn’t just a milestone. It’s a mirror. One that’s reflecting everything I’ve lived through and everything I’m still trying to become. As a woman, a mother, a wife, and a therapist, I’ve come to understand that healing doesn’t happen all at once. Change isn’t loud or dramatic. More often, it’s quiet. Subtle. And sometimes, it’s a little clumsy.
But most of all, it’s built one step at a time.

What “Momentum” Really Means

​Momentum isn’t a brand I came up with. It’s a lived experience. It’s the tired mornings when I keep showing up. It’s the thousand times I’ve reminded myself, “Just one more small thing today.” It’s asking for help even when I’d rather carry the load myself.

It’s choosing growth, even when it’s inconvenient.

Some days, I feel strong and clear. Other days, I feel like I’m re-learning everything I thought I had already figured out. And in the middle of all of that, there’s still dinner to cook. There are lunches to pack. There’s a marriage to nurture. And there’s a version of me that’s still learning how to hold space for herself, not just everyone else.
There’s no perfect balance. Just a rhythm.

And lately, I’ve been craving something deeper than surface-level living. Small talk exhausts me. Overscheduling disconnects me. I want conversations that feel like exhaling. I want friendships that don’t flinch at the messy parts. I want more time to pause, not just perform.

Because the truth is, many of us are high-functioning and heart-heavy at the same time. We’ve learned how to keep going, even when our souls are tired. But eventually, the cost shows up in our sleep, our bodies, our energy, our relationships.

I don’t want to live in survival mode anymore. I want sustainability. Slowness. Spaces that allow honesty without judgment. I want to look in the mirror at 42 and not see someone who held it all together, but someone who held herself gently.
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And maybe that’s what Momentum really is. Not pushing harder, but learning to move forward with softness.
Even if it’s just one foot in front of the other.

By Frankie Alisha