#failforward – Emy Minzel

To me, life isn’t only about getting things, achieving goals, or gathering gold. It is about enjoying the experiences you just get once. Nobody escapes a life without scars, growing pains, or obstacles. Whether they are internal or visible for the world to see, we all have trauma we have endured. The way we live our lives reflects how we go about healing ourselves also showing where we choose not to.

I’ve been contemplating some of my recent ‘failures’ and how they have changed how I think. There are times I think to myself “Why am I trying so hard? What drives me to pursue writing and politics beyond the wonderfully peaceful life I live? What makes me still so consistently persistent about these goals?”

I even wonder “How many times do I continue to ‘fail’ before I admit that maybe I won’t succeed in the way I envision?” Of course, I know I must not quit. I keep going with intentional tenacity and I think I know why. I keep moving towards these things because I am simply following my heart.

The decision to living simply, love lots, and bloom, where I am planted, is something I aim to do. Writing feels like art and I enjoy sharing my thoughts and experiences with the world in hopes of helping others. Being involved in local politics is a natural pull, stemming organically from my love and concern for the environment.

Running as a political candidate was a lot of fun, and I refer to it as a life experience. However, there are real statistics that say if I run again, most likely, I will not win. So, what would make me want to try again? It just does not feel right to sit it out and not try one more time. I care deeply about my community and Minnesota. I think to show up and try my best, anyway, is how I can direct my dedication and passion for protecting the environment.

Writing feels like magic to me. I worked hard to build a community who enjoy reading bits of wisdom we love to share. Participating in a heart centered and inspired project keeps me looking forward to the next adventure. These experiences fuel my creative outlet in ways that feel good for my soul. Some challenge me, some sooth me, all have changed me for the better.

These things that I “fail” at are what make me feel alive! They haven’t made me rich, and as a matter of fact, they challenge me to level up even when I don’t want too. It seems that following my calling and heart, has given me confidence and courage. I feel blessed to be able to do these things that pull my soul, even though from the outside looking in, they may look unsuccessful.

After contemplation of my failures, I see life isn’t always about chasing gold even though somedays it feels like it. Sometimes it feels more purposeful and rewarding to pursue the callings of your soul. I know I will be A-Okay if I never get to Congress or get on the New York Bestseller list. I will still make a difference in a way that feels good to me while pursuing these goals.

I believe the journey of existence is about gaining perspective of the purpose of life. You cannot appreciate the good if you do not experience strife occasionally. If we always get what we want, when we want it, we probably won’t value what we already have. Then when we do finally get it… Glory fills my soul and I let myself rejoice in the bounty of my efforts. Giving grace for all that guided me to my achievements.

It is important to enjoy the everyday experience of life in a way that feels authentic to me. By listening to my heart and letting it guide me I have learned not to be frightened of failure, it’s just another F word… and friends I love me an eff word sometimes. Getting older means I understand that growing pains and setbacks are just part of this fabulous obstacle course of life I get to live.

When I chose to detach from desired outcomes, I allow myself to fully experience the pleasure in everyday life and what really matters, enjoying the journey of failing forward.

How do you overcome failures? What keeps you passionate about your calling? I’d love to hear from you!

Love and blessings,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventurer, writer, advocate, lover of love and so much more.

https://emyminzel.com

@EmyMinzel

They say, what we focus on, grows. Which is why I have been choosing to focus on good, even though I know darn well there is plenty of darkness in the world. I want to grow the goodness in myself, my family, friends, community and even the world if possible.

It seems like a lofty goal doesn’t it?! I mean, who do I think I am, to be able to affect global change for goodness sakes? I am just little ol’ me, a middle-aged woman from rural Minnesota with a humble job and no real connections to ‘greatness’ as defined by society.

But isn’t that the best part of it all? Even though I am just me, a regular Jane, I am choosing to nurture my environment in hopes that the love I have inside my soul will ripple out into the world around me. Listen, I fear plenty of things, but what good does it do? Holding on to fear has an immobilizing effect on me. When I get scared, I just want to hide in my house away from the world. Does this ring true to you?

I’d like to share a little story of my path through fear to reach faith. When I was thinking of running for State Rep, I was fearful of all sorts of things, like losing my privacy. Although I am a writer, who wears my heart on my sleeve, I still cherish my private life. I know I am far from perfect and worried that the world, or my little part of it anyways, might find out all the lesson’s I learned the hard way. That might lead to judgments from those who think or believe differently than I. Am I prepared to handle those judgments? I mean… it’s guaranteed to be kind of a lot!

One person even told me. “It is truly a selfless act to run as a Democrat in this District.” History shows this is true. All the hard work of Democratic Candidates generally ends in defeat, according to the political election results of previous decades. Is this something I should also fear? Nobody likes to lose, especially when they are working hard and doing their best. Many knew it would probably be a losing fight.

However, no matter what you believe, you cannot win the game if you do not play! Everything about this path scared me. Public speaking was my worst fear magnified by a hundred or more. Everything I said or didn’t say, everything I wore and how I carried myself was up for judgment. This was a very scary arena to jump into as a rookie not knowing what to expect.

Honestly, I was a bit relieved when I didn’t win. I never felt so free in my life! I no longer had to show up with my underdeveloped confidence and a smile on my face as I shook like a hurricane on the inside. I could now relax. At the same time I was sad, depressed and I even mourned the experience. It helped me grow in so many ways that I will never experience again.

Facing my fears, to be part of the change I wished to see in the world, has helped me expand! All of me! Mind, body, spirit and all the energy I give out into the world has been shifted into someone I always knew I was.

Putting aside my fear of failing, or being judged and facing my doubts helped me ‘level up’ as you do in a video game. To stand up for what I believe, even though my anxiety, was the hardest thing I have done in recent memory and worth it even though I lost.

There is so much wisdom in the journey others call ‘failure’ that I no longer consider it a loss at all. I consider the experience of rising above my fears a blessing that expanded my life in ways that didn’t seem possible.

When I came out the other side, I saw that most of my fears were unfounded, unnecessary and failing was a real-life win. Learning to stand and speak my truth fed my soul and gave me true confidence I no longer needed to fake!

Instead of feeling like I was headed to the basement in a scary movie, This experience helps me see I am armed and prepared for whatever I find. I also know that I am perfectly capable of learning what I need on the job or on the fly, to come out alive and well. Choosing to feed my faith in myself and humanity, instead of my fears, has changed me for the better as if by magic.

Feed your faith adventurers, it is life changing.

Wishing you beautiful experiences of faith and love,

With love,

Emy Minzel

https://emyminzel.com

@EmyMinzel

Tag: #failforward

Failing forward ~

Are you feeding your faith or your fears?