Watch this video (it’s short) and then read on…
“I can do anything good!”
What would happen if we all said this to ourselves every day? Awhile back, after much deep soul work and transformation, I realized I can actually do anything. I can make stuff happen. Manifestation, the ability to do anything “good” when we align heart, mind, and action. That realization is POWERFUL!
We all have the power to create the life we want. Usually that power is just hidden beneath layers of old beliefs, old patterns and stories that we hold on to because at one point in our life they served us. But they don’t anymore, so it’s time to say “Thanks, Fear. I know at one point you kept me safe and I appreciate it SO much. I don’t need you anymore.”
This little girl, Jessica,
The thing about fear is that it allows us to play small. It’s safe. We don’t have to risk exposure, criticism, judgment, or getting knocked down. And sometimes we need to get knocked down. I know it doesn’t sound fun, but stick with me for a minute here.
We all make mistakes. In the words of Ron Burgundy, “I immediately regret this decision.” Or as one of my lovely friends says, “Ya done fucked up.”
It irks me a little bit to hear new-agey people say, “there’s no such thing as a mistake. It’s all a lesson.” Yes it’s all a lesson. We learn A LOT from messing up. But mistakes do exist. Failure exists. But it’s not the end of the story.
If you’re doing big things in the world, if you’re in a state of personal growth and development (which, if we’re doing our work, then we are), your ego is gonna get checked. You’ll have moments of arrogance, idiocy, thoughtlessness. You’ll fall short of your own and someone else’s expectations. Sometimes you’ll get criticism without necessarily “earning” it, but simply by speaking your truth. But that’s another matter for another post.
Today, we’ll just acknowledge that mistakes happen. So let’s feel empowered around our “epic fails” rather than shaming ourselves because of them.
Action Time: Think of a time you really screwed up. Your “favorite” failure, and by favorite I mean the biggest bungle you’ve made. What did you learn? Get SUPER honest with yourself. Don’t get sarcastic, mean, judgy, or defensive. That doesn’t serve anyone and it puts up all kinds of walls that we’re working to tear down. What did this snafu open your eyes to that you didn’t see/know/understand before? How did this mistake make you stronger than before?
You can then take it one step further. Is there a pattern in the lessons you’ve learned? Perhaps it’s taken a few lapses in judgment to learn a particular lesson (I’ve totally been there). As humans we seem to have a propensity toward making the same mistakes over and over. And over. We’ll get it eventually.
And that, my friend, is empowering. That is Self-Love. Own it. Love it. And then let it go. Because as Danielle Laporte says, “You can’t face forward until you’ve processed your past.” And because you can do anything good. Intend to shine.
Wild Grace 