#323 - Paige's Perspective: Three Perspectives on “Hang In There… It Gets Worse”#323 - Paige's Perspective: Three Perspectives on “Hang In There… It Gets Worse”
Till The Wheels Fall Off
Paige reflects on the phrase “Hang in there… it gets worse,” sharing multiple interpretations from her community and linking it to recovery, growth and personal responsibility. She uses real-life examples to show how discomfort can signal both needed change and genuine progress.
15:33•22 May 2026
“Hang In There… It Gets Worse” – Paige’s Honest Take on Pain, Growth and Recovery
Episode Overview
- Life will always include pain and uncertainty; growth means learning to hold that pain differently, not eliminating it.
- Many positive changes – from learning new skills to setting boundaries or leaving toxic situations – feel worse before they feel better.
- Simply “hanging in there” without changing behaviours often allows addiction, resentment, health issues and financial problems to get worse.
- Emotional resilience grows as people learn to regulate themselves, stop catastrophising and stop postponing peace until life is perfect.
- The meaning of phrases like “Hang in there… it gets worse” depends on someone’s stage of growth, and not every message fits everyone all the time.
“The goal was never to create a life with no pain, the goal is to become someone who can hold pain differently.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? Paige Robinson brings her trademark dark humour and compassion to a deceptively simple phrase: “Hang in there… it gets worse.” In this solo instalment of *Paige’s Perspective* from *Till The Wheels Fall Off*, she unpacks how one line on a T-shirt turned into a rich group conversation in a recent Reclaiming You call. Paige shares that some people initially saw the phrase as pessimistic, while others found it oddly comforting.
For her, it’s a mix of dark humour, acceptance, resilience and reality. As she puts it, “the goal was never to create a life with no pain, the goal is to become someone who can hold pain differently.” That idea hits home for anyone in addiction recovery or living alongside it, especially those who secretly hope that sobriety or healing will erase all future problems.
She walks through everyday examples where things really do feel worse before they feel better: learning something new, setting boundaries, starting a workout routine, breaking unhealthy habits or leaving a toxic relationship. Paige points out that this rough patch is where most people want to quit, yet it’s also where real growth starts to build. Then she flips the phrase on its head: if you simply “hang in there” while nothing changes, it often does get worse.
She applies this to addiction, marriage, health, finances, parenting and mental habits, stressing that “hang in there is terrible advice if nothing is changing.” Personal responsibility and action are non-negotiable. Paige also highlights how the same phrase lands differently depending on someone’s stage of growth. For one person it might be a wake-up call, for another a reminder that they now handle life better than before.
If you enjoy honest, slightly irreverent conversations that blend recovery, real life and emotional growth, this episode might leave you asking yourself: what does “Hang in there… it gets worse” mean to you right now?
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