Personal growth is part of the human experience. I have heard it said that we are either going forward or backwards but there is no such thing as standing still. I also recognize that we all have personal roadblocks to our growth. Things that come along sometimes when we least expect them and knock us flat to the ground. It is then that the demon on your shoulder whispers” you are not good enough.”

Maybe you are struggling with an addiction, mental illness, weight loss, overwhelm with a new change (school, baby, job, divorce, marriage, empty house, etc.) or just trying to change your daily habits (less tv/media, more books, exercise, being thoughtful, going to bed earlier, etc.) And every time you sleep in and skip exercise or stay up too late bingeing your favorite show or lose your patience with someone or take another drink or smoke another cigarette…whatever it is that you might trip over and fall…there is that ever-present voice assuring you that you have once again failed.

We all have been caught in that vicious cycle of trying and failing over and over again. And you know what? As humans, we tend to focus on how many times we tripped and fell…failed. But you know what I have learned? That the falling down is not what counts at all. What truly counts is how many times we got back up and tried again. Because that is what takes real courage and commitment.

We need to stop listening to that demon on our shoulder. Tell it to shut up the next time it says you have failed at quitting smoking, drinking, losing weight, whatever your stumbling block is. Tell it that it is not the falling those counts. It is how many times you pulled up your big person briefs and started all over again. Tell that demon- “I got back up and tried again”. Then give yourself a big hug cause “You got this, baby!!!”