How can I tell the difference between real progress and just feeling good temporarily?

This is the question Patanjali kept circling: How do you know you're actually changing, versus just having a good day? Real progress has texture. It's subtle but consistent. Temporary good feelings fade. Real transformation lingers. When you develop true embodied knowledge, it shows up in moments you didn't plan for. You're triggered, and your breath naturally steadies before your mind catches up. You face a difficult conversation, and your nervous system stays regulated. You catch yourself moving with ease where you used to hold tension. These aren't dramatic revelations—they're quiet, reliable shifts. Patanjali described this as the difference between fleeting experiences and samskaras—deep grooves worn into your being through repetition. One is weather passing through. The other is landscape change. How to recognize it: Track what actually changes in your daily life, not just how you feel on the mat. Do you sleep differently? Breathe more freely? React less defensively? Can you access calm without forcing it? These are the markers of real work. Notice too what no longer requires effort. That's transformation. You're not trying to be calm anymore—calmness is becoming native to you. Keep practicing. The proof isn't in breakthrough moments; it's in how unremarkable your growth becomes.