If you live daring to try new things, you risk making mistakes.

There is no other way.

You try.

You fail.

Many times.

You learn, and you become a better version of yourself.

More experienced. More imperfect.

I have learned that I had to fail many times.

It was the most frustrating thing to accept,

Because perfectionism was one of my coping mechanisms,

A way I built the illusion of safety.

And maybe exactly because of that,

Life pushed me into experiences that forced me to make mistakes.

Breaking my illusions, only to bring me back with my feet on the ground.

Protecting myself from trying new things, so I wouldn’t fail,

Also protected me from living.

It’s easy to say you don’t make mistakes

When you never open yourself to life, or to others.

Life can feel safe in a small box.

Safer, but without that energy that makes you feel truly alive.

It took time.

It took effort.

It took gentle courage to challenge my anxiety

And open up to more.

Avoiding life only fed my fears.

But like I always say to my clients when they speak of their anxiety:

Fear only has power when it’s fed by avoidance.

And courage is not the absence of fear,

It’s walking forward despite fear.

And in that process, reminding yourself

That you are brave simply because you keep going.

One step at a time.

Don’t be discouraged when you stumble.

Don’t worry that you’ll miss something, or make a mess of things.

Don’t stress about how well you’re doing.

Keep reminding yourself:

You are living.

You are human.

And you are brave

Simply because you are giving yourself the chance to try.

And in that process, you become.

You grow into a more alive, more real, more beautiful version of yourself.

May you stumble gently, and rise with grace.

May your heart stay open, even when it trembles.

May you honor the beauty in your becoming.

And may you always remember, courage is found in the trying.

I see you! You are beautiful! Keep going!

Aniela🤍

www.MindfulTherapist.us