we all make mistakes

but how do we respond when we do?

do we beat ourselves up?

do we torment ourselves, dissecting 

all the ways we failed

over and over and over and over?

do we pull back, hiding away our brilliance, forever after 

afraid to dream big?

or … do we speak to ourselves

as kindly as we would

to our dearest friend? 

do we take accountability,

fix what we broke, and

learn from the experience?

do we try again, undaunted?