Flipping the script on failure

When I was growing up, I did ballet. I loved the classes.

The time came for the first big recital. Everyone was invited.

I was nervous on the day of big event. Halfway through the performance, my toe caught on the floor and I stumbled awkwardly. I was devastated. Humiliated. I believed that I was not cut out to be a ballerina and quit.

It can be very difficult to recover from an experience where you feel like you've failed.

The truth is that failure is an essential part of growth. It means you are moving towards something new or challenging.

You might not succeed the first time and it takes practice and work to get good at something. Even then, mistakes can still happen.

Mistakes aren't excuses for you to beat yourself up or get discouraged. They're not a reason for you to quit because you don't think you have what it takes.

Mistakes are a great opportunity to reflect and learn new things about yourself. You gain insight that can lead to a different outcome the next time you are in the same situation.

It's also important to notice the role your ego plays. The ego likes to take over and can criticize every little thing you are doing.

One way to shut down negative self-talk is to spend a few minutes grounding.

Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Imagine a cord of energy flowing from the base of your spine to the center of the earth. Breathe.

Let all your fears and insecurities go down this cord.

When you are finished, breathe in beautiful gold light and positive energy.

Grounding gets you out of your own way and connects you with your energy and intuition.

Once you are grounded, remind yourself what a great job you are doing and that you're not always going to do something perfectly. Keep your focus on what you are doing right and stay open to growth and new insights.