I have this problem. I talk about the ”F” word. Yep.
And this weekend was no different even though I wore a name tag titled MENTOR with a different color tab than the participants in the room it didn’t stop full of Startup Weekend Orlando-Edu entrepreneurs.
But really. You think I’m going to be quiet about something as important as my “F’s?” I get it really, why I can’t be quiet about failure. I can’t be quiet about anything that has made me into the woman I am. And secrets, well they are not my thing.
Why can’t we talk about the “F” word? What is it about being a living, breathing, miracle that convinces us we are suppose to be perfect and never fail?
Sure. I’d much preferred to have been perfect, but since it appears that’s not in the cards for me- I’ve chosen transparency. I like what happens between me and the person I’m absolutely honest with. It gives my new friends and acquaintances permission to be who they really are; a human being that has fallen down and decided to get back up, a person who has failed, lost and who has not stopped trying. It builds a bridge albeit transparent between my heart and theirs and instantly connects our spirits in a trusting bond of friendship.
This weekend after I shared my personal and professional ‘F” experiences with an entire room I would have every professional reason to want to impress, person after person thanked me. And then many of them did one better. They opened up to me about their own “F” experiences. And then the magical spiritual connection I spoke of earlier happened between me and a complete stranger. We bonded there in the middle of central Florida in our admittance of our failures.
Failure. I don’t really believe in it, truth be told.
But since it’s the label that the world puts on all those experiences that we can’t possibly label a success, it’s the truth I tell when I most want to connect and give others the permission to be themselves and to understand I’m just another normal, living, breathing, miracle who falls down and refuses to stay there, regardless of the color of my name tag, number of years in school or size of my company.
Mostly I want to talk about the “F” word.
I want to scream and shout that you and I are children of a God who makes no mistakes.
I want to remind myself as well as you -that as long as we get up, one more time than we fall down we are the biggest winners- of all.
I’m thankful for the faith to believe that my “F” experiences are exactly what I’ve needed to arrive here at this transparent moment and undress myself from pride and ego, and take off the mask of success long enough to embrace the truth about myself, get back up from my recent fall and use my precious moments to be the hands and feet of service.
Why Can’t We Talk About The “F” Word? Failure Dysfunction
Tonight I’m reminded of how my soul soars in community. I’m also filled to the brim after giving all weekend. We serve an abundant CREATOR who won’t hesitate to renew us as we commit ourselves to lovingly serve others…
