In all aspects of our lives, there will be challenges to overcome.........
Proverbs 24:16 English Standard Version
16 for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
How many times can you count the mistakes you wish you could take back and rewind the time?
From my own personal experiences in all aspects of life: physical, mental, emotional, financial, spiritual, social, career, and partnerships. There has been some form of failure, mistake, self-sabotage, and destruction towards something we really wanted.
Why did this happen?
Sometimes these failures happen within seconds or over a long period of time; why?
I tried everything and yet it still did not work out the way I wanted; what happened? What could I have done differently?? Whenever I "failed" there was a deep; dark hole that I seemed to have fallen in. Feelings of being shellshocked over the events that occurred.
Emotions such as anxiety, depression, anger, grief, and more. Self-medicating by drinking alcohol, and smoking weed to try and escape the emotions, & racing thoughts of actions to take in order to fix what happened. Thoughts that are self-defeating, beating myself up over options I could take. I honestly was having a series of "failures" and was at a complete loss as to what to do.
Honestly, my entire life was a trail of challenges in every area of my life. Childhood, failed relationships, chronic health issues, and vitamin deficiency shut my body down. The last major challenge was when I had been laid off from a job that I was employed at for 10 years, was newly engaged, and just signed a lease to rent a home, and challenges in the relationship were appearing all at the same time. Everything came crashing down upon me suddenly. Praying to GOD for help, and one particular scripture that my son-in-law placed on the bathroom mirror.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
What is in your control, and what is outside of your control?
At the time I was not aware of how I was guided wherever the winds of emotions or circumstances blew me. Not really looking at the factors that were in my control. I have fallen once again and now with prayers being answered; slowly I began to get back up.
I learned how failures can turn into opportunities after my many challenges and experiences, and truly ready for a change. I learned:
YOU are the common denominator
Take responsibility and accountability for your choices/actions that have led you to where you are now
Utilize the challenges to be your teacher and what you learned
Forgive yourself, the other parties involved, and/or the circumstance
Take this opportunity to do inner work; heal past wounds
Heal childhood trauma
Practice self-care, and self-love
Strengthen your spiritual practices (prayer, reading the bible, meditating, quiet reflection, journal)
Reparent yourself / Self Development (transform your weaknesses into strengths)
What is unknown and not understood now is the time to develop by researching - cultures, nutrition, habits, behaviors, patterns, and traits that are no longer serving you and what can you now do differently?
Therapy
Podcasts
Blogs
Books
Set goals to achieve and what steps to take
Develop Emotional Intelligence (self-regulate, and self-awareness)
Develop Financial Intelligence
Develop Mental Strength
Strengthen communication and active listening skills
How to have healthy relationships
Diplomacy
Non-violent conflict resolution
Love languages
Boundaries
Self-esteem
Confidence
Failures provide opportunities to reflect upon what worked and what did not work, what you liked or what you did not like. Failures allow you to learn what you really want in life. Failures allow you to honor what was lost by utilizing the lessons learned and never to repeat again by bettering yourself.
Failures allow you to see your strengths and weaknesses that would not have been made aware of until this opportunity occurred. The loss is a door closed for a new door with better opportunities to come so that you can take what you learned and move forward. Failure can humble you and see the things that you can be grateful for.
At the time it may not feel the greatest and you may have a hard time seeing the positives and growth experienced from a failure. That too is an opportunity for developing perseverance, resilience, and wisdom. You did the best you could with what you knew then, and now you have more experience to understand what to do or not to do from the experience and self-development that would never have occurred if that challenge never presented itself.
You can only control how you show up through your thoughts, words, and actions. Let GOD take over on the things you cannot control. Failures are your opportunities for you to grow and expand.
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