Failure Progress

Last week I presented a keynote in Ohio to a large group of educators- mostly administrators. I wanted to “knock it out of the park”. In the last 5 minutes of my presentation the slide deck on the power point presentation froze (as did my heart). The closing inspirational video that I spent hours creating was never to be seen. I stammered an awkward close to the presentation, and exited the stage. Not my proudest moment.

But what happened next was amazing. I actually smiled. I realized everything I had just advocated in my presentation, based on my book, Practicing Presence was working. I felt regret, but I didn’t do what I would have done a decade ago- which would have been an internal barrage of negative chatter about how I always mess up and I’m such an idiot.

Instead I thought “it really must be working”. It being the practices that I’ve put into place- like meditation, gratitude, and reframing my thoughts. The old adage is true- it’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters. Be kind to yourself, I have no doubt you’re doing the best you can. It’s called failure progress!