Failure? Not, here.

 

I have failed. Many times. In big things and small things. It wasn’t so long ago that I wouldn’t admit that. To anyone. And sometimes not even myself.

What I have learned each time was how much I needed to fail.

No, I did not and do not set out consciously to fail.

Some years ago, in the early days of my journey of self-discovery, I wrote something to the effect of “I intend to live a life in alignment with my authentic self.” What I didn’t realize at the time was this was an invitation. Words aligned with soulful intention have power.

Back to failing.

Each failure I experienced, highlighted how far I strayed from my true path, or the “alignment with my authentic self” even though I may not have fully understood who my “authentic self” was. Each failure introduced more of her to me.

I began noticing that failing fell into similar-themed categories:

• where and how I had been playing small;
• the values I ignored or was dishonouring;
• the boundaries I allowed to be breached;
• allowing comparison to rob me of the opportunity to lead;
• how I had betrayed my intuition and suffocated my voice.

I learned to begin looking at failure as an opportunity. What was it here to teach me? What wanted to emerge into the light from the dark? How and from whom could I ask for help? What did I need to let go of to be more me? What of my calling and purpose wanted to be seen, felt and heard? From whom and why was I seeking external validation? 

With each failure I experienced, I gained resilience, strengthened my willpower, uncovered deeper insights, released sh*t I no longer needed to hold on to and spoke more powerfully in my truth.

Failure? Not.

Failing is not a prison sentence. Notice how I’ve spoken about it – not as a noun used to refer to myself, but as an experience, None of us is ever a failure. Let’s talk about failure for what it truly is – a proverbial course-correction that strengthens our mettle and invites us to step up, step out and to meet ourselves on a higher plane. Look up.

Let’s start a Conscious Conversation. Tell me, what have you learned from failing?