Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.

-Winston Churchill

I was brought up in a home that didn’t have a lot.  We didn’t have much in the way of money, and we didn’t have a lot in the way of material items. We lived in an area that was considered a ‘slum’ at the time, but is now an upmarket so-called ‘yuppie’ area.

We struggled a lot – in just about every way – but no matter what, we stuck together as a family.

My parents were people of very high morals and work ethics, and they taught my sister and I to live our lives along those same lines.

They also taught us that no matter what we did in life, if we tried something and didn’t succeed to meet our goal, we’d not failed simply because we tried.

I am a firm believer in this philosophy, and encourage it with my grown ‘children’ and also my grandchildren.

In this world of ‘must win’ it seems to me that the world expects everyone to take first place or be labeled a failure. 

That’s very sad. 

I have personally failed many times, but I’ve brushed myself off and started over. Each time this occurred, I’ve learned something new, and by doing so, I’ve become closer to my goal of succeeding. 

Have you ever tried to do something and have failed?  Has that made you reconsider your efforts in the future? Or have you picked yourself up and started over?

I hope it’s the latter.  We learn so much from our mistakes; more than we realize.

Right now is a perfect time for reflection.  The time to decide what we really want in life, and take the appropriate action to achieve it.  To have the courage to forge ahead.

Cheryl