September 3

”You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.” Beverly Sills

Most people don’t like failure. The addict in me is scared to death of failure. It’s one of my biggest reasons to want to run away from the possibility and pain of making a mistake, of looking like a fool, of not living up to everyone else’s standards. So there are times in my life where I have regrets because I chose not to act, not to face the potential of falling flat on my face. There is also a lot of shame from the times where I did try and failed, and then refused to try again. My life is not meant to be lived for others; my success is not determined by what others think of me or how they perceive me. I know today that my worth is determined by how well I seek to do the will of my Higher Power. I am not in competition with anyone. I am far from perfect. I am permitted to make mistakes. In fact, I think I would even say I am encouraged to make mistakes. It is how I am learning to do things differently. Giving up is rarely an option. I no longer seek to bury my head in the sand. Living means participating, trying new things, and sometimes falling flat on my face. Through my Higher Power I have the courage to get back on my feet and give it another go.

Affirmation Disappointment is more about how others perceive me that about who I am. There is no shame in trying and not succeeding, as long as I continue to try again.