Stuck in the messy middle? Join the club.

👋 Hey, it’s Kate. Just yesterday, I was writing about “that” summer. Tomorrow is Labor Day. Hope that September brings a fresh energy (without the scattered feeling.) I’m in your corner…you’re reading The Bright Side—a weekly dose of calm and clarity in a noisy world.

The (omg-it’s-so-messy) middle.

September sneaks in and suddenly everyone’s talking about “new skills” and “fresh starts.”

Which is great, until you get started. Why? Because every skill or project has a messy middle.

But when you start, it’s all dopamine. You’re on fire with novelty and nothing’s gonna stop ya, right?

You order a Peloton. You buy the Dutch oven. Launch your side-hustle. You picture the “got this” moment: powering past the leaderboard, pulling a golden loaf from the oven, coaching clients lined up at your door.

Then…reality sets in.

Two rides in, your legs feel like cement.
Your loaf couldn’t be more flat and heavy.
And that side hustle? Turns out “passive” feels like overtime.

This moment is the messy middle.

The part where it feels like you’re getting worse. The part where your ego (or caution) says, “maybe I should just…quit.”

And guess what?

That’s exactly where all the growth happens.

“We love it, Kate. But not right now.” 🤯

I know this from experience. I’ve been in the messy middle myself lately.

This whole “Practice of Life” project? It’s been exhilarating…and humbling. 

There are days when it feels like magic. When we’re making a dent on helping students overcome digital overload. But more often, there are days of “no, thanks”, lots of doubt and wondering if I should’ve just stuck to something safer.

But here’s what I’m learning: rejection and awkward attempts are part of the process. 

Not proof that you’re failing, but proof you’re actually in the middle of something special:

Of deep learning.
Of strengthening your ‘why.’
Of getting real-world feedback.

And that doesn’t mean you always have to keep going. Sometimes the messy middle helps you realize that it’s not for you.

Isn’t that better than sitting on the sidelines wondering “what if?”

Why it matters.

This shows up everywhere.

In dating, when the honeymoon glow wears off and the real connection work begins.

In careers, when the new promotion fades and you’re in projects you don’t fully get yet.

In business, when launch week is over and you realize consistency matters more than adrenaline.

It’s frustrating. It can be awkward. And sometimes hilarious, too.

And it’s exactly where the magic begins: because you can only skip the middle if you never start.

Tiny actions for this week

The key to surviving it?

Some patience, a ton of humor and self-compassion.

Just remember, everything you and I love: the artists, the wise mentors, the delicious dinner…

Every person who created those has faced the messy middle. And they kept going.

I hope this empowers you a little bit.
And if you needed to hear it, let me know. I did too 😉

Until next time,