Small steps and the presence we bring to change
By Sara Somasca | BASE YOGA
There are days when we show up, make an effort, and still feel stuck. A familiar reaction returns. A practice that felt helpful yesterday feels difficult today. We begin to wonder whether anything is changing, or whether all this effort is taking us anywhere.
For those of us who support others, these are moments when our own relationship with the process matters. Before asking someone to trust that change is possible, we need to consider how we express that belief through our presence, especially when progress is difficult to see.
Many patterns have been practiced for years. We may have learned to respond quickly to other people’s needs, push through exhaustion, or speak harshly to ourselves whenever we struggle. Through repetition, these responses can become familiar enough that we follow them before noticing we have a choice.
We may also experience these moments physically: shoulders tightening before a difficult conversation, a held breath when we want to say no, or discomfort when we finally allow ourselves to rest. Recognizing a pattern can be an important beginning. Becoming more comfortable with a different response may take time.
Our bodies and minds are not machines. We cannot demand that they adopt something new simply because we have understood why it might help.
I think of small, repeated experiences as leaving an imprint. Each time we pause before an automatic yes, or notice tiredness and allow ourselves a break, we have an opportunity to practice a different response. Over time, that response may become more familiar and more available to us.
When we are waiting for one big shift, these moments can be easy to overlook. Perhaps we still become overwhelmed, but recognize it sooner. Perhaps we repeat an old behavior, then meet ourselves with a little less blame. These changes deserve attention, even while other difficulties remain.
For healthcare professionals, coaches, and teachers, supporting this process asks something of us too. We need to notice our own urgency for improvement. If we speak about patience while rushing through a session, or become visibly disappointed when a familiar difficulty returns, our presence can communicate a different message from our words.
To embody trust is to practice the steadiness we are inviting someone else to explore. It can mean allowing silence without immediately filling it, listening when someone says a practice is too much today, or staying curious when a session unfolds differently from what we expected.
The person in front of us is living with the frustration and effort of their situation every day. Sometimes they may feel that nothing will get better. They need room to say this honestly, without having to reassure us or show improvement to keep our support.
Our belief in the possibility of change can coexist with their uncertainty. We can acknowledge how difficult things feel and continue exploring what is useful, together. Hope becomes more respectful when it leaves room for the person’s actual experience.
Trusting the process also involves paying attention to whether our approach is helping. When someone feels persistently stuck, distressed, or unheard, we need to listen and reassess. Sometimes the next step is a smaller practice, a different approach, or additional support. Respecting someone’s pace includes respecting their feedback and choices.
And compassion needs to include us as practitioners. We may feel discouraged too. Embodiment does not require us to be endlessly calm or certain. It asks us to recognize our reactions, seek support when needed, and return to the relationship with care.
For me, trusting the process means making room for what is present today while remaining open to what may become possible. Both people bring something different each day. We begin there, with honesty and a willingness to listen.
The small steps matter. So does the way we accompany them. When we offer patience through our own presence, we help create room for someone to try again, at a pace they can participate in, without having to earn compassion through progress.
Sara Somasca
Body-Mind Coach | Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher
BASE YOGA