Ways to fail successfully

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I can not tell a lie! My daughter came up with idea for this blog . Of course, my children came up with the name of this blog. I am so proud of them!

What did you fail at....today?

Wait a minute I thought this was about success! Keep reading and see what you think 

Some days the list is so long that it can be down right discouraging. I get it.  Why would I want to talk about what I failed at today? 

What would it be like if you sat at the dinner table and listed all the things you failed at each day? What kind of conversation would that stir? 

I don't know about you, but I thought I was to celebrate my successes....right? I mean, whoever succeeds the most wins...right? What if that's the wrong way to look at life?

Let's take some utter failures and talk about them, then lets talk about personal failures. It's easy to talk about abstract failures that turned into victories. For example: Einstein failed at MATH????? Now, I look at that in a positive and a negative way. If he failed at math and became a math genius....why are we expected to learn math! I can do math up to a certain point. Once they start adding consonants... bam! I'm done.

Another failure...Dr. Suess. True! He sent his manuscript in 27 times and got rejected 26 times. Book editors said it was silly and jiberish. Then one editor decided to take a chance. I'm so glad that the 27th time worked. I love his books. They are jiberish and that's what helps children read. There are no pre-supposed words to fail at. Just sounds....brilliant..

Okay, I'm confessing my failure today. I failed to stand up to my inner critic. Yep. Someone suggested that people gain 20 pounds when they reach my age. OH MY GOSH! My inner critic went ballistic!

"I thought your pants were getting too tight." "Look at that bulge on your belly!" "Would you just look at yourself? " The inner critic had a hay day with all of that information.

So, what did I do? I was brave and stood up to it...nope that was not what I did. I shrank back in horror and didn't eat all day! Not eating is really a good idea right? NO! But my inner critic convinced me that I had to "take charge". Did I take charge? No, my inner critic inflicted punishment on my soul and I accepted it! I chose to listen, I chose to respond, to tell you the truth, all I got was... hungry. My clothes didn't fit better because I didn't eat. My belly didn't suddenly slim up. None of that is rational. 

Has anyone ever told you that you were not good at a particular task? What did you do? Did you believe it? Did you react to it?  What was your response to your inner critic?  

Let me tell you how to "stick it" to your inner critic. First of all, tell that voice to shut up! Secondly, do what it tells you that you can't. Man, I have heard some crazy things. I painted a picture. It was vivid in color and I used mixed media. A friend of mine took it to sell in her booth. My inner critic and a few other people went nuts. You did what? You think it's going to sell? Then, boom!!! It sold! 

I am learning to take joy in what my inner critic says because she is always wrong! Always wrong. Think about it. Talk to yourself and make a list. "I may never be as famous or as much of a recognized genius as Einstein or Dr. Seuss, but I can...." 

Take it from there.  I failed, but I'm not a failure.. Laugh at your inner critic and do it anyway. I promise to eat tomorrow.  Take that...inner critic!


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