Why I am Reclaiming the Word "Journey"

Ah, the word journey. I can already hear the collective groan from every corner of the internet. It’s the word we love to hate, a term so overused and clichéd that we’d almost rather use its cringe-worthy cousin, moist. Almost.

For years now, the word journey has been tarnished with an “ick” factor. It’s the butt of social media jokes, a punchline to “I’m on a journey of self-discovery…pass the kale smoothie.” It’s easy to roll our eyes when we hear it, but here’s the truth: I’m reclaiming the word journey, and you should too.

Because honestly…what better word do we have to describe life? Or business? Or that wild ride in between?

Let’s talk about it.

The Definition of Journey

Before we start unpacking the emotional baggage around the word, let’s go back to basics. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a journey is:

“The act of travelling from one place to another, especially when involving a considerable distance or taking a long time.”

Simple. Straightforward. A journey implies progress, motion, growth. You start somewhere, you go through something, and you arrive somewhere new. You may take the scenic route. You might get lost. You might even stop and have a wee nap on the side of the metaphorical road (we’ve all been there). But the essence of a journey? Transformation. You’re not the same person at the end as you were at the start.

Tell me that isn’t the perfect word for what it means to run a business, build a career, or navigate the chaos of life itself.

 Yet somewhere along the way, the word journey became tarnished.

How Journey Got Its Bad Reputation

 If you’ve been in the personal development or entrepreneurial space for more than 5 minutes, you’ve likely been inundated with journey-speak. Coaches promising a “life-changing journey to your most authentic self.” Influencers sharing their “weight loss journey” or “healing journey” while clutching a green juice in suspiciously good lighting.

 It became a buzzword, a linguistic stand-in for meaning and gravitas that often felt anything but authentic. Somewhere between 2010 and now, it morphed into a parody of itself. The sheer volume of its use diluted its sincerity, turning something that once felt meaningful into something worthy of an eye-roll.

There’s also the fact that, culturally, we’re allergic to anything that feels earnest or overly sentimental. In an age of sarcasm and quick-fire wit, admitting you’re on a journey feels like peeling back the layers of cynicism to expose something tender. And for a lot of us, that’s just too vulnerable.

 But here’s the thing: cynicism doesn’t build businesses. It doesn’t move lives forward. Cynicism stops us from celebrating the progress we’ve made because we’re too afraid of sounding cringe.

 And I, for one, refuse to let the cynics win.

Why Journey is the Perfect Word for Life and Business

 If you’ve ever built a business from scratch, you know it’s not a straight line. You don’t start at A and land neatly at Z. It’s messy. It’s complex. It’s unpredictable. One day you’re on top of the world, signing a new client or launching that product, and the next, you’re curled up in the fetal position because your systems broke, and you accidentally sent 700 people the wrong invoice. (Just me? No? Great.)

 The journey of business mirrors the journey of life. You set out with an idea—a vision of where you want to go. You hit bumps in the road. You find new opportunities you didn’t expect. You meet people who change the way you think. You fail. You learn. You try again.

 And the wild part? The journey never really ends. Because as soon as you hit one milestone, there’s another. It’s not a sprint. It’s not even a marathon. It’s more like a never-ending hike up a mountain range, complete with pit stops, breathtaking views, and maybe a twisted ankle or two.

Doesn’t that deserve to be celebrated?

When I look at the people I coach, the businesses they’re building, and the lives they’re creating, the word journey feels like the only one that fits. Their work isn’t static. It’s evolving. It’s moving forward. Even when it feels slow, even when they take a detour, they’re still making progress.

To me, that’s something worth talking about. And it’s definitely something worth reclaiming.

Reframing the Word Journey 

I get it. You don’t want to sound like a walking Pinterest board. But reclaiming journey isn’t about peppering your Instagram captions with inspirational fluff. It’s about giving yourself permission to honour the process of where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going.

 When we reject the word journey, we risk rejecting the beauty of what it represents: growth, progress, transformation.

 Reclaiming it is about:

 1. Celebrating Progress: You may not be where you want to be yet, but look at how far you’ve come. That deserves recognition.

2. Acknowledging the Messy Middle: Life and business aren’t linear. The journey includes the wrong turns, the failures, the breakthroughs, and the unexpected joys along the way.

3. Embracing Vulnerability: Admitting you’re on a journey—that you’re still in motion—takes courage. It means you’re not pretending to have it all figured out, and there’s so much power in that.

The next time someone rolls their eyes at the word, remind them that we’re all on a journey, whether we like it or not. And that’s not cringe. That’s life.

My Journey—And Yours Too

 As someone who’s built a business rooted in community, strategy, and (yes) joy, I can’t help but see everything as part of a bigger picture. My own journey hasn’t been perfect. There have been seasons of doubt, uncertainty, and fear. There have been times I’ve questioned everything—my purpose, my path, my capacity to do the work that matters.

 But do you know what got me through? The knowledge that progress isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence. The small steps. The big leaps. The moments when you think you’ve hit a wall but realise you’ve just found a new door.

 That’s why I’m reclaiming the word journey. Because my story—and yours—deserves to be told in its entirety. Not just the highlight reel. Not just the end result. The messy, winding, glorious path that got you here.

So here’s what I want you to know:

 - Your business isn’t just a business. It’s a journey.

- Your life isn’t just a series of to-do lists and milestones. It’s a journey.

- Your growth, your learning, your becoming? That’s a journey too.

Call it what it is. Own it. Celebrate it. Because there’s nothing cringe about honouring the progress you’ve made.

Final Thoughts: Let’s Stop Being Afraid of Earnestness

We live in a world that rewards cynicism and irony. But I think it’s time we stop being so afraid of earnestness. The people who move mountains—the ones who build businesses, who create impact, who live lives they’re proud of—aren’t the ones sitting on the sidelines making jokes. They’re the ones in the arena, embracing the messiness of the journey.

 If that makes me a little cringe? So be it. I’d rather be a little cringe than a lot of stuck.

 So here’s to the word journey. May we reclaim it. May we celebrate it. And may we never forget that life itself is the greatest journey of all.

And you, my friend, are right in the middle of yours.