Are Our Joys More about Our Disappointments?

Just start.
Just start something.
Start something you have been dreaming about for longer than you can remember . . .
You know there's something, because we all have something that calls to us . . .

And what is it that stops us before we've even started? Worry about a potential face plant .:. whispers and criticism for our peers .:. totally messing up right in front of everyone .:. being told you failed .:. or feeling that you failed .:. and on and on the reasons go.

Watching this video actually made me re-think some of my mess ups, my ego-smashing experiences, my failures, and my disappointments. It made me think that perhaps any and all of my unsuccessful endeavors were all a means of getting me where I am right now. I am further along, with a ton of experiences and even better, a gazillion ideas of how I could do things differently, better, more positively. It made me feel almost, well excited, to fail at something. Crazy, but yes, excited.

If we can pick ourselves up (because getting up after a face plant implies there is some renewed sense of self), learn from what may not have worked and try again: Try something new, try something different, or try what didn't succeed the first time with new understandings, then we are further along.

I think the challenge is to believe in ourselves no matter what the success or failure of any one situation is.

I think the goal is to stay true to our dreams, and to also go with the dream if it changes, or if your path takes a new direction, no matter what the opinions of others.

I think the gift is in getting up and doing. Showing up totally and completely and immensely and honestly for ourselves. Showing up in our very own lives and living in as complete and as full a way as is possible.

I think these things have been said over and over and over again, and yet, they still need to be said, we still need to be reminded, we still need to be told it's ok, because most of us still have moments of feeling frozen, worrying about mistakes and wanting to succeed, and we're afraid.

Just think about it: if Michael Jordan can get cut from his high school basketball team, and go on to become (as my husband likes to tell me over and over and over again) the best to ever play the game, doesn't that make you feel a little differently about where disappointments and failures can take us?

So, just start something. Open up your book of dreams and choose something (because I'd sure like some company), and know that the road won't necessarily be smooth, but it will be interesting, and then:

Tell me, what it is you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life? -Mary Oliver

Comments

[Thea]

so so true love! Boy do I love that line from Mary Oliver!

xo

[cate]

that mary oliver, thank god for her. great post. so inspiring. opening my dream book...

[kelleyn]

Yes, I think having failures are apart of the growing process, but if we never try than we can never suceed. In the end I think it makes us stronger. Sounds so cliche, but it is so true.

[Laura]

thank you... this is really making me think today and it is very inspiring. have a wonderful day
blessings
~*~

[Sherry]

Great videos and power thoughts!! Thanks for the inspiration!