Embracing Failure - The Growth We Overlook

In this deeply personal episode, I share my journey from being "swallowed whole" by my failures as a young mother to understanding that failure is actually a beautiful sign of expansion, growth, and devotion. More importantly, I explore how our own relationship with failure directly shapes the relationship our children will have with it for the rest of their lives.

This isn't about becoming perfect. It's about becoming authentic. It's about giving ourselves—and our children—permission to be beautifully, imperfectly, courageously human.

If you've ever felt crushed by your own failures or worried about how your struggles affect your children, this episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Art of Accomplishment with Joe Hudson - artofaccomplishment.com
• Phil Stutz's "The Tools" - Book and Netflix documentary "Stutz"
• Andrew Huberman's work on neuroplasticity and learning

Changing Your Relationship with Failure

I want to give you some concrete practices you can start using today:

1. The Failure Reframe Journal Each week, write down:

• One thing that didn't go as planned
• What emotion arose (be specific)
• What you learned or could learn from it
• One thing you appreciate about yourself for trying

2. The Mirror Practice (Active Love) Stand in front of a mirror and say:

• "I see you trying"
• "I love you even when you fail"
• "You're learning and that's enough"
• "Thank you for not giving up"

Do this especially after a failure. Yes, it will feel weird at first. Do it anyway.

3. The Emotion Location Exercise When you feel the sting of failure:

• Stop and close your eyes
• Ask: "Where do I feel this in my body?"
• Put your hand there
• Breathe into that spot
• Stay with it for 2-3 minutes
• Notice what shifts

4. The Reversal Practice Identify one thing you've been avoiding because you're afraid of failing:

• Write it down
• Write down your worst-case scenario
• Ask yourself: "If the worst happened, would I survive it?"
• Then do the thing

5. The Grateful Flow for Families At dinner, go around the table and each person shares:

• One thing that didn't go well today
• One thing they're grateful for today

This normalizes both failure and gratitude in your family culture.