So many people see losing as a negative thing; no one wants to be a loser! I too was one of those people. However, in the last year and a half, I have experienced a lot of loss — in the ring and in my personal life and my perspective on losing has changed dramatically because of it.
For a very long time, I resisted rather than embraced my losses which only delayed my ability to learn and grow from them.
In November of 2014, I stepped into the ring for the first time in years… I was afraid to lose. I was afraid of what it might change… would my friends, family, and students in my program think less of me — of my skill, my experience, or my ability to teach?
I could have never stepped into the ring and risked losing — but I did, and ended up losing. But none of the things I feared happened following that loss. In fact, I’d say that the positives after my loss were worth it. I learned more about strategy, gained experience, and found myself surrounded by the respect and support of my students, friends, and family.
Losing is tough… especially in the sense of real life. Losing jobs, relationships, friendships, marriages, etc. are some of the hardest human experiences.
I’ve experienced my fair share of losses in the last year and a half and for the longest time, I resisted and feared what those losses meant for me and my future.
However, when we embrace loss everything changes. In fact, if we understand that loss is needed to remove the things in our life that do not serve our greatest good, and thus, it creates the space and room for those things that will enter, we understand the real value of losing. We can then welcome loss rather than resist it.
I’m not sure I will ever say I like losing… as it’s rarely enjoyable and often a painful process. However, I will embrace losing and trust that it is what’s needed to make me a better version of myself and move me closer to living my best life.