The Joys Of Perseverance
Welcome to my Blog, The Joys of Perseverance. Sticking with something can lead to unexpected and meaningful rewards.
The key points of this article are:
- Patience can lead to the beauty that hurried effort can’t unlock.
- Not all growth is visible—persistence reveals hidden progress.
- Small, steady care often outlasts quick fixes.
An Orchid
A few years ago, a friend gave me a beautiful orchid. It came wrapped in soft pink paper, its flowers a delicate mix of white and blush with yellow streaks in the centre. It sat on my windowsill for weeks, catching the morning light and holding my attention every time I walked by. I had never owned an orchid before, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it—its elegance, calm presence, and how it made the room feel just a bit more alive.
Then the blooms fell. One by one, they curled, dried, and dropped off. What remained looked sad: just a couple of green leaves and a stiff, leafless stem. I learned quickly that most people toss their orchids out at that point. Supermarket orchids, particularly, are pretty but temporary, decorative yet not durable.
But something in me resisted that instinct. It could be curiosity or perhaps a quiet hope. Either way, I didn’t throw out the orchid. I trimmed the dead stem, moved it to a brighter spot, and gave it water once a week, no more. I didn’t talk to it or feed it any special nutrients; I just let it sit bare and unimpressive, week after week.
Most Growth Happens Unseen
Months passed. Nothing. A year went by. Still nothing. The leaves remained green, but that was all—another year. Still leaves. Occasionally, I thought, “Maybe this thing is finished.” But I continued watering it.
And then, in the third year, something changed. A new spike emerged, growing taller and thicker. Tiny buds formed, and I watched them every morning. One day, I walked into the kitchen and saw the first bloom—soft, pale, perfect. And not just one; more followed. The orchid was back, as beautiful as ever, perhaps even more so.
That little orchid, forgotten on a windowsill, mirrored something we rarely allow in life anymore: slow, quiet persistence. Growth that you can’t see. Effort without guarantees. The long road, without shortcuts.
Fast Isn’t Always Better
We live in a world that doesn’t reward slowness. It fails if a project doesn’t show results within the first week. If a business isn’t booming after six months, it’s labelled “not working.” If a relationship isn’t instantly fulfilling, people leave. Everything is urgent. Everything needs to be optimised, efficient, and fast. We’ve come to expect flowers every day, or we discard the plant.
But life doesn’t work that way—not really. Significant change takes time. Real growth happens underground, unseen. Anyone who has worked through grief, built a skill, repaired trust, or healed from something difficult knows this. The best things require patience. Often, they don’t appear to be much while they are becoming something.
The Quiet Power Of Sticking Around
There’s something powerful about continuing on when nothing appears to be happening. It’s not glamorous. There’s no applause, no viral moment, just quiet commitment. In a culture obsessed with productivity that persistence feels almost radical.
We’re conditioned to chase instant results. Lose 10 pounds in two weeks. Learn a language in 30 days. Build a brand overnight. But none of that leads to anything lasting. The habits that stick, the work that matters, the relationships that deepen—all come from sticking around long after the excitement fades.
Perseverance often fails to get the attention it deserves. It’s not flashy or marketable, but it is where real success resides whether you are writing a novel, raising a child, starting anew, or seeking to find yourself again, the small, repeated actions over time lead to breakthroughs. Not one monumental moment, but thousands of overlooked instances.
That orchid reminded me of that truth. For three years, it remained unseen. But it was alive. And when it was ready, it returned in full colour. I couldn’t force it. All I could do was create the conditions for it to thrive and wait.
Imagine how much beauty we miss because we give up too soon—on ourselves, each other, and the possibilities that need time. In our rush to move on, we discard things that still hold life within them.
Lasting Joy Belongs to Those Who Keep Going
Sometimes, the greatest joy isn’t found in what happens quickly but in what endures. What continues? What reemerges when we least expect it? That joy belongs to those who remain, wait, and keep nurturing even when nothing blooms.
Ultimately, perseverance isn’t solely about grit or willpower It’s about faith—faith that progress is occurring beneath the surface, faith that slowly doesn’t equate to stagnation, and faith that something beautiful can emerge from what appears barren.
So, let the world rush. Let it chase the next big thing. I’ll be over here, watering my orchid, waiting, watching, and trusting the slow magic of perseverance.
How I Can Help As A Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and Hypnotherapist
Modern day living, as you have already read, seems to want instant results which ultimately create more pressure for us to live under. This can have a huge impact on our stress levels. When living in a tense state our body responds in a certain way, called the “flight or fight” response. Over a longer period of time, it is this that has a detrimental effect on our overall health, our body, our mind and our emotions – upsetting our body / mind connection and our body’s natural balance.
If you feel that may be something has got out of hand, it isn’t quite right, you may be feeling overwhelmed, a bit stressed, anxious, frustrated, impatient, angry, wanting to achieve and it isn’t quite happening and this is making you experience feelings of being unable to cope. Perhaps you have spoken to your doctor, a friend or another health therapist who has suggested you may wish to consider talking through your dilemma or concerns to help seek clarity to see your situation from a different perspective.
The symptoms or issues you are experiencing are simply a call and sign something is wrong. It can be said life is about what we experience and perhaps how we experience it. Through a process of collaboration, I may be able to help you by offering the space and support required whilst managing your difficulties, circumstances or issues, as together we explore the experiences or turmoil in your internal world. By restoring balance and regulation back into your life you can grow and evolve moving forwards in a more confident and positive way at your own natural pace.
Counselling and Hypnotherapy, whether used singularly or combined, can help you reach resolution from the many difficult aspects you may encounter along your path in life.
If this sounds like you then you have come to the right place and I may be able to help you gain understanding of your situation.
To make change in your life then take a positive step forwards right now by contacting me.
Email: belinda@breathofchange.org.uk or call 07973410375 / 02088732843.
I operate from clinics in both Epsom, Surrey and Crawley, West Sussex.
(This article was posted on the Psychology Today website on 17th May 2025. It was written by Sam Goldstein, Ph.D., teaches at the University of Utah School of Medicine and is the co-author of Tenacity in Children. It was also reviewed by Margaret Foley.)