Episode 42

It's Okay to Be a Work in Progress: Embracing Your Emotions

Published on: 4th March, 2026

Healing does not follow a timeline, and it's completely okay if you're still grappling with feelings that you thought would be long gone by now. In this episode, we dive into the reality that emotions don’t come with expiration dates or neat finish lines. Whether it’s grief, a breakup, or any kind of lingering regret, it's important to acknowledge that these feelings are part of being human. We can often be our harshest critics, thinking we should be "over it" by now, but the truth is, some experiences are meant to be carried differently as we grow. So, if you’re feeling stuck, remember that you’re allowed to be exactly where you are in your healing process, and I encourage you to give yourself permission to still be healing.

Takeaways:

  1. Healing is a personal journey, and it doesn’t follow a strict timeline or schedule.
  2. It's perfectly okay to still be processing emotions that don’t seem to go away.
  3. We should allow ourselves to feel our emotions without the pressure to move on quickly.
  4. Sometimes, we need to carry our experiences differently as we grow, rather than getting over them.
Transcript
Speaker A:

Hey, this is.

Speaker A:

It's okay if bite size permission slips.

Speaker A:

I'm Matt Gilhooley, and today's permission.

Speaker A:

It's okay if you thought you'd be over it by now.

Speaker A:

Whether it's grief, a breakup, a failure, a mistake you can't seem to shake, there comes a point when you start telling yourself, this shouldn't still be bothering me.

Speaker A:

I should be further along.

Speaker A:

Other people would be over by now.

Speaker A:

But here's what I've learned.

Speaker A:

Healing does not follow a timeline.

Speaker A:

There's no expiration date on emotions, no neat and tidy finish line where you magically just get over it.

Speaker A:

I've had things stay with me for years.

Speaker A:

Losses, regrets, wounds that get quieter, sure, but never fully disappear.

Speaker A:

And that's not failure to me.

Speaker A:

That's just being me.

Speaker A:

That's being human.

Speaker A:

The truth is, some things aren't meant to be gotten over.

Speaker A:

They're meant to be carried differently as you grow.

Speaker A:

So if today you're frustrated with yourself for feeling it, for still being in process, for still not being over it, that's okay.

Speaker A:

You're allowed to be exactly where you are.

Speaker A:

If you're up for it, tell yourself, I give myself permission to still be healing.

Speaker A:

I don't have to be over it by now.

Speaker A:

That's your permission slip, friend.

Speaker A:

Tuck it in your pocket and I'll see you next time.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode
Show artwork for It’s Okay If… Permission Slips for Mental Health, Self-Acceptance, and Growth

About the Podcast

It’s Okay If… Permission Slips for Mental Health, Self-Acceptance, and Growth
Bite-Sized Permission Slips for Real Life
What if you didn’t need to have it all figured out?

It’s Okay If… is your weekly permission slip to be human.

I created this short-form podcast as part of my own healing process — a way to slow down, process grief, and reconnect with what I was feeling.

Each bite-sized episode (just 3 minutes or less) offers a short, honest reflection to challenge perfectionism, embrace your real self, and remind you that you're not alone.

Hosted by Matt Gilhooly, creator of The Life Shift Podcast, this show delivers midday nudges of self-acceptance, insight, and calm – whether you're walking the dog, stuck in traffic, or just need a breath.

No fluff. No fixing. Just a moment of truth.

New episodes every Wednesday at noon. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.

About your host

Profile picture for Matt Gilhooly

Matt Gilhooly