Fall in Love with Your F-Ups

Mistakes. Failures. F-ups.

This has to be the hardest lesson to learn as a business owner: You absolutely can—and should—make mistakes. It means you tried. You took a chance on yourself, on others, on something unknown. It means you didn’t stay in your comfort zone. It means you learned.

I’ve always loved trying new things. It’s terrifying and thrilling all at once—the good kind of stress, the a’cute’ (get it?) kind that keeps you moving forward. Not the chronic stress that leads to burnout and breakdowns. The kind that makes you feel alive.

But sometimes, the excitement fades, and what you’re left with is an F-up that shakes you to your core.

My COVID Wake-Up Call

During COVID, I tried a lot of things—because honestly, what choice did we have? The world turned upside down, and we all had to pivot. But I made more mistakes than I could stomach. And instead of bouncing back, I crumbled.

I stayed in bed. I beat myself up. I questioned everything. I lost my sense of alignment, the ‘me’ I truly am. I wasn’t just knocked down—I was a puddle on the floor waiting for someone to mop me up.

It took a long time to pull myself out of that. Longer than I’d like to admit. The longer I stayed misaligned, the harder it was to get back to myself. I tried all my usual tricks—manifestation games, mindset shifts, vision boards—but nothing worked. And that made me feel even worse.

I carried the weight of disappointing people. And when someone told me, “You need to forgive yourself,” I knew they were right. But I wasn’t ready.

Then, out of nowhere, my son asked if we could go to church. 🫣

I hadn’t been to church in years. I believe in God, but I’ve never been one for organized religion. But this was his journey, and I wanted to be there for him. So, we went.

Done For You, Not To You

At first, I sat there, just observing. But then something unexpected happened.

I quieted my mind. Some of those messages felt like they were meant just for me. And slowly, little by little, I started reconnecting with myself. I started remembering who I was before all the fear, doubt, and self-punishment took over.

Before COVID, I knew. I was in my flow, confident in myself and my purpose. During COVID, I struggled to believe. And that—that—was what felt the worst.

So, I went back to basics.

I meditated. I listened to the words I was saying to myself and realized they weren’t kind. So, I changed the conversation, first in my head, then out loud.

I cut out the people who were feeding off my sadness. I searched for anything that would lift me up. I moved my body more. I slowly rebuilt the trust I had lost in myself.

Not overnight. Not in some big, dramatic moment of clarity. But in many, many tiny steps that stacked on top of each other, until I finally found my way back.

The Lesson in the F-Ups

Here’s what I know now: Your failures aren’t there to punish you. They aren’t proof that you’re not good enough. They’re your teachers. They exist for you, not against you.

Every mistake I’ve made has led me somewhere important. Even when I didn’t see it at the time. Even when I fought against it.

So, fall in love with your F-ups. They mean you tried. They mean you grew. And one day, when you’re standing on the other side of it, you’ll realize they didn’t break you at all.

They made you.