Failure (Is a Good Thing)



Failure is a tough thing to face; I’ve felt very ashamed of failure and avoided admitting my failures many times. 


Failure is a harsh word - it’s the opposite of success and success seems to be one of the most sought-after things to “achieve in life”. 



Success means different things to everyone, but failure seems to be about the same. I’ve always been very hard on myself, and I must admit, I’ve faced failure many times and ridiculed myself for it. I’ve cried about it, tried to act like it didn’t bother me, etc. My point of this post is to share that failure happens for a reason, and there are actually many good things that can come out of failure. Failure can also help to prepare for times of success, and make you appreciate your victories that much more. 



Here’s a list of some “failures” I’ve faced in my life that have always been hard to talk about: 


1: When I was 19 years old and ready to attend university, I was wait listed for my DREAM fashion communications program and had to come up with a plan B. I basically had no plan B so this felt like a huge failure at the time. The funny thing is that my dream program ended up not being what was best for me - I found another school and program that was way better. I was able to graduate in half the time, focus on many hands-on projects that brought me real work experience and finished fashion school with no debt and my very first job before the day of my graduation ceremony. Success happens when preparation and opportunity meet! 



2: I got my first job right after school (I was super young - only 21) and I totally failed at it. This included stressing out / having anxiety every time Monday rolled around, lots of crying in the bathroom at the office and feeling a lot of doubt in my skills and abilities. It turns out that it wasn’t the right position for me, and I learned a lot about myself in the process. I ended up getting connected to a new position (where I am now) and it’s a way better fit work-wise! I am able to be creative, excel in my communication and organization skills and have taken on projects with leadership and confidence that I never had before. Ultimately, the job journey has opened my eyes to see that I can do things on my own and I am very capable of contributing good quality work and creative ideas. 



3: The last “failure” type of situation I can think of is when it comes to dating in my personal life. I will save the details, but basically I always felt like I was hopeless when it came to finding a guy I really liked. I’ve been rejected and judged many times for who I am / my values, and I have struggled to find anyone who brings qualities I was looking for. Even through many attempted fails of finding “the right guy” for me, I have done much self reflection, asked myself lots of hard questions and this long drawn out journey has resulted in a LOT of personal growth. I can happily say that this dating thing had taken a positive turn for me lately, and I’m excited to see what happens next. 



Take no L's (losses) from your failures, only lessons! Life will always be up and down. And sometimes feel way more down than up! But I promise you, it gets better. 


Thanks for reading today!



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