Overcoming Failure and Sadness

This inspiring quote is from the often-quoted statesman and British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. Go on to the site where I found this quote and different versions of that same message come from Albert Einstein, Vince Lombardi, and others you might expect. It all sounds great, and the common thread seems to be learning from failure (job, relationship, changes from aging, declined health, loss and grieving, passion, and much more), then moving on to deepen the action after the learning to understand what you want.

I have learned and grown from my failures and life changes, but, as I preach the gospel of gratitude to some of my clients, I still find myself from time to time feeling that downward pull of dismay rather than the “Love the Life You Live” tagline on my web page.

Then maybe if the enthusiasm to learn from failures and sadness was graphed, it would be like mine - one or two steps forward, one step back, one zig-zagging, up and down line, without what appears to be steady growth, although when looked at with a big picture view, that positive change is obvious.

It’s hard to be mired in loss, to wish for what you had instead of living for what you have. Personally, I’ve recently been in that shadow of darkness as the ongoing ramifications of hepatitis C and failed treatments continue. New medications are being released, as the medical research community opens new frontiers every year. However, I can’t get them, as my Medicare insurance is problematic when it comes to high cost medicines. Frustration can render me (you?) feeling hopeless.