When you feel like a failure: don’t look back

You know when the perfect opportunity to offer words of wisdom and insightful advice to your child—adult or otherwise—takes on the appearance of a train wreck versus the motherly win you strive for? Even with a quarter century of parenting experience under my belt, I still bomb (and not the fizzled-out kind), the recent fail an up-close-and-personal affront at my ability to think before I speak—to mindfully build up rather than fight fire with fire. Tears ensued. Hugs suspended. Hours later, my mom ego bruised, I waved a white flag in the form of a text: Do-over? My treat. My faith life on display, it had revealed a mind and heart polluted by the demons I refer to in “Fighting the demons…:” old habits repeated, past choices tendered. But I have a choice now: I can allow the mistakes of yesterday to define today, or I can choose not to look back. Because that’s not the direction I’m headed.

How do you respond to failure?

Photo source: http://www.passionpluspurpose.com.

Show up, don’t give up

The last time I wrote, it came out in bits and pieces—sprinkled throughout the course of a day. It wasn’t the most productive work I’ve ever accomplished, but it afforded me practice at my craft. And that’s okay, because life, in itself, is one big practice (not perfect) that occurs each time we show up. For instance, I’ve returned to my music after a 20-year hiatus. Even though I’ve rehearsed several hours, so far, I have a long way to go before I sound halfway close to my “back-in-the-day” self. My daily yoga is also a study in practice each time I step on my mat. Some days look differently than others, too, depending on what’s going on in my body and my mind. Whenever we show up, even if in bits and pieces throughout the day, our muscle memory will begin to fill in the gaps. Because it’s about showing up, not giving up.

What is one area in life where you could use more practice?

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.