Sometimes in life, we have to first fall or falter in order to fly and succeed. Not everything is achieved or celebrated the first time around. Whether it’s a driver’s license test, a marriage, a friendship, a foray into college, a first job, a second, third or fourth job, sometimes multiple tries and attempts are necessary.
There are countless benefits to second tries and multiple attempts in general. With each attempt, we go into them with greater knowledge than previous and often, more confidence. We learn what worked and what didn’t, the way we felt, different routes to take, or with new found strength. Sometimes, a second or multiple attempt confirms we truly want what we are working towards. With past experience comes more insight into ourselves and our choices.
For me, most things in my life have not come easy. Whether it was joining a teen writing panel from my local newspaper during my high school years, my driver’s learner permit, careers, friendships/relationships, college and more, multiple attempts were necessary and still are. Sure, they may bring frustration, agitation and sometimes even the intense desire to give up or succumb to my struggles, when I’ve picked myself up and tried again, I’ve never regretted it, even despite all I encountered. Maybe I experienced doubts, some intense, but what I’ve come to learn is that during those times, I didn’t know then what I know now. Each time we fall, we walk away with a strength we couldn’t have had unless we struggled; we walk away with scars, but they are not restrictive; they are not there to keep us down, but rather remind us of how capable we are.
One of my favorite and most poignant quotes I’ve encountered reads, “Our strength is not measured in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” Every time we stand up after encountering challenges or loss, we look fear or struggles in the face, provide motivation, courage and bravery for ourselves and others and remind ourselves of the capabilities we have.
On a final note, I look back on my college years and what stands out most to me is not my transcript, grades, or even my degree, but in how no matter how many struggles and challenges I faced; hospitalizations/illness, a desire to walk away, and feeling defeated, I rose again, even with the manifestations of doubt and ambivalence.
Take a break, care for yourself and do what you feel you need to in order to build your strength, but always remember, the struggles and challenges faced do not need to dictate your life or life’s path; they can merely serve as a compass to succeeding and mapping out what means most on the journey that is life, no matter how tumultuous.
M3: Melissa's Morning Musings 