I talk a lot about preparing to live your best life—all the positive expectancy around living this time of your life with vigor, meaning, enjoyment, and curiosity.
However, I’ve probably overlooked the idea of preparing for failure. What happens when we devote time and energy to something, and it all falls apart? We can be left feeling down, lost, and miserable.
When I laid out my plans for how this past summer would go, I didn’t account for illness and injury. I didn’t account for being so lethargic that I lacked the energy to pick up my horn and practice. In fact, I had plans to play with a big band and have fun with a few other musicians in a small ensemble.
But it all went to hell!
Learning to pivot, to go with the flow (or at least with the reality of the moment), is really important for emotional well-being. As I look back over the last several months, I’ve thought about what I might have done differently.
Here are a few thoughts:
- My body is telling me it’s time to rest. I need to be at peace with the demands of my physical body.
- Not being able to practice and play was definitely frustrating, but hey, I went over 50 years between putting the horn down and picking it up again—not just two months. It’s not fatal.
- I would have started journaling more consistently to help process my thoughts and feelings.
Preparing for failure is as important as preparing for success; it just doesn’t feel quite as satisfying.
