See possibilities, not failures

"I'm such a failure." Have you heard those words before? Or even said them yourself? Me, too.

The messages we give ourselves matter. If we tell ourselves enough times that we're failures, and if we always focus on what we perceive to be our faults, we will see ourselves in a negative way. We will see ourselves as failures. And that surely will not motivate us to be all we can be!

If, on the other hand, we give ourselves encouragement and positive messages, we will see ourselves as empowered and strong. We will become that which we admire and desire.

What if, instead of seeing yourself as a failure for something you've not been able to achieve, you instead saw possibilities? What if you examined the situation in which you feel you failed—and looked for what life lessons you might learn from it? How might that make a difference in how you're able to move forward? In how you see yourself?

Years ago I was in a difficult work situation where I felt disrespected and devalued. I needed to stay there, at least for a while, until I gained some financial stability. In time, I began looking for what I could learn from the situation. It was a helpful shift. I did learn (with help from others) new ways of handling difficult situations, for one thing; and I learned to value and respect myself.

Try seeing possibilities—not failures—in your life experiences. While you're at it, try giving yourself praise just as you would give your best friend. See what a difference it can make.