What is failure? Lately I've been thinking a lot about what it takes to make and not make something happen. I was feeling down because I was unable to hold a function at the time I had originally planned and I saw that as a failure on my part. I then got into a discussion with people in my life about what failure is, and is postponing or not doing something a failure. Is failure trying and things not turning out the way you like, or can you include not trying at all as a failure. I personally was including not holding the event as a failure, for me not trying or not trying hard enough means that I failed.
Thinking about it now I think failure is an interesting word, one for me that holds a lot of negative emotions and weight. According to Webster Merriam dictionary online failure means "a state of inability to perform a normal function, lack of success". In the case of the event I had definitely failed to perform certain functions but in no way was there a lack of success. For one I beleive that I successfully learned some much needed lessons about what it takes for me to have these events. I saw the kind of effort and support I need to have in place in order to keep moving.
Furthermore what I try to remind myself is that there can only be a "lack of success" when you give up. We never know when or how success is coming so there is always a chance for it to show up. But more important words like 'failure" are labels that we give meaning to. Something can only be a failure if I deem it so, and so it is up to me to declare positive, encouraging words to all my endeavors. I get to look at my experiences as chances to learn and grow, realizing that it is ok to let things go that are no longer working for me or make the necessary adjustments to my time schedule.
