Another Direction

"Failure is a signpost to turn you in another direction." - Oprah Winfrey, TV personality, actor, and founder of O Magazine

When something doesn't work out in my life these days, I do turn in another direction. But for me, I don't consider these events failures anymore. Today they are just lessons that guide me towards my dreams and ambitions. "Failure" is not an active word in my vocabulary these days.

I considered myself a failure in every aspect of the word ten to fifteen years ago. I was miserable about it too. I had no faith in myself and I "knew" I was going to fail at everything I tried long before I even took my first step towards a goal. My self-esteem was non-existent and it showed in my outward appearance and in my behavior. I "acted" like a failure.

Friends are wonderful - they will tell me when I'm going in the wrong direction and they will tell me when I should reconsider choices I've made. Once I realized that I could get guidance from many different people, life started to shift for me. I now know that I can count on my true friends to guide me so that I don't have to sit in my self-pity while I get nothing accomplished. As I said above, I no longer "fail" at life. I'm learning, I'm growing, I'm loving, and I'm helping. That will never be considered a failure as far as I'm concerned. But I will acknowledge that when obstacles start to appear as I'm attempting a project, I do pay attention. I do consider them my signposts to go in a new direction. New directions are exciting.

Today I pray that I will continue to be open to new directions every day of my life.