let's celebrate failure

The fall of 2010 was the first time I drafted an email signature. I just moved across the country, started grad school & felt it was time to get “more professional.” But being me, I also couldn’t keep it 100% profesh. So I put whatever everyone else put down on their email sigs, then added the extra line of, “a possibilitarian on the daily.” I had seen that word “possibiltarian” on a greeting card that summer & instantly identified as such (and still very much do).

It was during that fall that for the first time ever, I was encouraged to take creative risks & was taught in the process, it was ok to fail. In fact it was more than ok. This was a major shift after growing up in a culture rooted in perfectionism, high achievement, toughness & rigidity. the next few years I explored approaching work & research-related projects from points of connection, play, & curiosity. When I look back on events & situations that you can say “failed,” I’m able to clearly acknowledge what didn’t work, but also clearly pick pieces out that elicited something meaningful that I or others could carry further into later experiences of growth & opportunity.

I bring this up bc a week from today, I’m honored to be alongside @amythesavage of @flashpointleadership for @_tarraco’s CELEBRATING FAILURE event. So I’ve been thinking a lot about failure + reflecting on how this whole betterish platform is grounded in basking in the okayness of just being okay---NOT being the best, but exploring the small actions, experiences & lessons that eventually lead to bigger things. like this jellyfish you see on my wall here (🔝). I found it recently after feeling like I failed on my day to get things more structured for 2021 (lolz these expectations we put on ourselves…)
it was such an effervescent reminder to a.) leave room for discovery b.) lighten up c.) the mundane doesn’t always have to be mundane

To shine a light further on where I’ve successfully failed: it all revolves around the things I have not said. the situations where I have not spoken up or out. where I’ve gone along with someone’s idea or plan bc I thought It’d make things easier but I ultimately was not being true to myself or honest with my values nor needs. being direct and assertive is hard for me. But through these failures in communication, I learn, unlearn, and learn some more.

wanna dig more into more failures? join us next week, 1.27 6:00-8:30 MST...all are welcome: Celebrating Failure.