Fear of Failure: What Does Failure Mean To You?



Margaret Paul, Ph.D.


What do you believe about failure?

The ego wounded part of ourselves, the left-brain part of ourselves that has been programmed with many false beliefs, often believes that:

“If I fail, I am a failure.”
“If I fail, I am stupid.”
“If I fail, no one will like me or value me.”
“If I fail, then there is no point in ever trying again.”
“If I fail, it brands me for life as incompetent.”
“If I fail, then everyone who thought I was smart will now think I am stupid.”
“If I fail, I will have made a fool of myself.”

On the other hand, the loving adult part of us – our right brain, open, creative and learning part of us – generally believes that:

“If I fail, then I just need to work harder, to put in more effort.”
“If I fail, I will have learned valuable lessons that will eventually lead to success.”
“Failure is a part of life. No one succeeds without some failure.”
“Failure does not at all reflect on my worth as a person. I am intrinsically worthy, regardless of success or failure.”
“Failure offers me incredible opportunities to think outside the box, to think creatively. Let’s get to work!”
“I love learning and I love challenges. What I do is not about success or failure – it is about the joy of creativity, learning and expressing who I am.”

Which way of thinking prevails within you? What are the consequences to you of allowing yourself to think from your wounded self instead of from your loving adult?

Failure – A Part of Life

The fact is that mistakes and failure ARE a part of life. Instead of fearing them, why not make it okay to make mistakes and to fail? Why not take the onus off of failure? Why not embrace the process of learning and growing instead of only being focused on the outcome of your efforts? Why not focus on enjoying the process of learning and creating something that is important to you?

People who don’t worry about success or failure, who instead are excited about their learning and growing process, generally find their way to succeed. The reason for this is that they don’t let failure stop them. Instead, failure spurs them on to work harder, to put forth even more effort to learn what they need to learn to succeed.

On the other hand, even very smart people, who are dominated by their ego wounded selves, generally allow failure to derail them. Believing they ARE a failure if they fail, they become too afraid to make more effort. In addition, they often believe that success or failure is not dependent on effort, but on ability. When this is their belief, they often give up at the first sign of failure, fearing that, if their natural intelligence and ability is not leading to success, then there is no point in trying harder.

Creating Success

Every successful person knows that effort, creativity, openness to learning, and perseverance are what create success, not necessarily high intelligence, talent, or ability. Every truly successful person is someone who has not allowed failure to stop him or her from forging ahead with passion and purpose.

I encourage you to tell yourself that it is okay to make mistakes and okay to fail. I encourage you to see mistakes and failures as wonderful learning opportunities for growth. I encourage you to let go of the outcome and allow yourself to become fully excited about the process learning, of growth, and of creation. Being fully present and excited for the process is what life is all about!

About Author
Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is a best-selling author of 8 books and co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding® healing process. Ready to join the thousands who have healed their pain and discovered their joy? Learn Inner Bonding now! Click here for a FREE Inner Bonding Course, and visit our website at www.innerbonding.com for more articles and help. Phone Sessions Available.

Flossing – Remove Your Plaque With Few Hassles

by: Felicia Williams
How Important Is Flossing?
In one word…very! Flossing not only cleans areas of the teeth where ordinary toothbrushes can’t reach, it is a key factor in preventing gum disease. Brushing is an excellent beginning, but flossing is a crucial factor when it comes to keeping healthy teeth. The bacterium that gets caught in the nooks and crannies between teeth and in the tight spaces that toothbrushes can’t reach is removed by flossing.
Bacteria, if not removed regularly, may cause a host of problems in a person’s mouth. For instance, a byproduct of the bacteria is acid; this acid eats into the enamel of otherwise teeth and creates cavities. Another byproduct of the bacteria is a sulfur compound which causes halitosis.
Remnants of food, combined with remaining bacteria turns into plaque. Plaque, left hanging around between the teeth will become a stronger more toothbrush resistant substance called tarter. Tarter is not removed by normal brushing. Tarter remover requires the professional services of a dentist.
Tarter left alone allows the bacteria to breed and cause a more serous condition called gingivitis. Gingivitis occurs when the bacteria emits toxins that irritate the gums and causes redness and swelling. Left alone, it worsens and causes periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease occurs when the bacteria have been allowed to manifest and invade not only the gums, but also the bones. This is dangerous because the bones are the very support structure that holds teeth in place. Left untreated, teeth will fall out.
I Haven’t Flossed In A While. What Should I Expect?
If you haven’t flossed in quite a while, there is a possibility that you may see a hint of blood on the floss and in your mouth. This means that your gums are somewhat irritated and are really in need of flossing. Don’t give up. Keep flossing. Over a period of time, with regular flossing and brushing, the red should diminish and eventually go away. If it does not, pay a visit to your dentist.
How Often Should I floss?
According to the American Dental Association, you should brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and floss at least once a day.
What About My Children? When Should They Start Flossing?
The minute two teeth are able to rub together, thus creating a condition whereby food and bacteria can hide and grow, start flossing. Of course when they are young, they will require parental guidance. Continue to do so until you feel comfortable that your child can properly floss unaided.
How Do I Floss?
1.) Use about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around the middle finger of one hand and the rest around the middle finger of the other hand.
2.) Gently guide the floss between your teeth with a rubbing motion.
3.) Once the floss nears your gum line curve the floss against one tooth in a ‘C’ shape. Slide it gently in the space between you tooth and gum.
4.) While keeping the floss against the tooth, gently, with an up and down motion, move the floss away from the gum.
5.) Repeat as needed.
6.) Remember to floss between all of your teeth, even the hard to reach ones in the back of your mouth. Also floss the back of the last teeth.
7.) Remember this is a gentle motion. Do not use a frontward, backward sawing motion. That can cause injury and prove to be painful.
About Auther
Felicia Williams  is a Freelancer Writer and owner of tidbitsandstuff.com.


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