In our culture, we have this false narrative that we need to excel at everything we do. If we try something, and we aren’t a natural, we feel ashamed, or think ‘this just isn’t for me.’

No one stretches themselves, no one learns, if things come easy. It doesn’t even make sense that you would be good at an entirely new skill the first time you try it. Yet, that’s the story our culture lives- the prodigy, the effortless win.

It’s a recipe to make most of us feel like failures. But- a solid C is still a passing grade. And isn’t it kind of beautiful to be passably good at something you truly love? Not only do you get the joy of doing it, but you learn true appreciation for the people who have put their 10,000 hours of hard work into that discipline and have mastered it.

And sometimes failure is the best teacher of all. For me, failure is what has taught me to be less conflict averse, the difference between baking soda and baking powder, that orange and purple mixed together make an ugly shade of brown, and that pulling up poison ivy, even while wearing long sleeves and gloves is a terrible idea. All SOLID life lessons I wouldn’t have learned if I hadn’t tried. 

And what about the sweet victories that come with progress? Finally getting your heels to touch the floor when doing down dog, making your first crookedly stitched mask, gathering the courage to put yourself out there and finally go for a dream, or making your first edible loaf of bread. All these things are indicators of personal growth. Growth comes when it’s hard, not easy.

What is something you have failed at lately? Brag on it! That way we can seriously cheer when you finally master your new skill! 

(Concept credit on this post is alllllll Megan Pilarczyk White)