As a someone who’s also been a lifelong hard working student, and a perfectionist, I can’t totally relate. I think that one of the biggest challenges of being an artist/writer is learning to be ok with failure, and the messiness of the creative process. Failure is how you learn and grow—it’s just a fact of life.
Thank you so much for being honest about your struggles with failure in this post! I know you may not always feel it, but I think you’re doing great👍
beautifully written, caroline. i also think we should stop naming those who are “more likely to succeed”. it puts unnecessary pressure & overlooks hidden diamonds. i’m glad you’ve been able to sit with failure, talk to it, accept it, and move forward.
I love this! When I was younger I never took failure well either, and tbh, I’m not sure how good I am at it now, definitely better but not by much 😅 this is a great reminder to keep trying, always!
needed to read this today😭 as someone who has massive rejection sensitivity, i needed this reminder more than you know!! as always, thank you for your beautiful words caroline🥹🩵
As a fellow grad student this hits home. The fear of failing has kept me from starting projects but I’m trying to rewire how I determine what failure really looks like. Much like you, it’s not longer an F but something within myself.
This is such an important thing to remember. Most of the time, when I face failure, I feel like my whole plan for life is collapsing and everything will go downhill, but that never ends up being the case, life just moves on. It will keep moving on. So thank you for reminding me of this again <3
this was beautiful as ever!!!!! i've always been TERRIFIED of failure and delayed applying to colleges for undergrad because of that and a whole lot of other things, but i've been trying to do things despite fearing them lately (re: lit mag submissions) and it feels great while simultaneously feeling absolutely terrible because at least i'm trying!! and if i don't try i've already failed either way
I think I say this every week but this is def my favorite essay yet
thank you brooke 😭🥲🥰
As a someone who’s also been a lifelong hard working student, and a perfectionist, I can’t totally relate. I think that one of the biggest challenges of being an artist/writer is learning to be ok with failure, and the messiness of the creative process. Failure is how you learn and grow—it’s just a fact of life.
Thank you so much for being honest about your struggles with failure in this post! I know you may not always feel it, but I think you’re doing great👍
aww thank you so much! i think you’re doing great too!! 🫶🏻
Thank you!
beautifully written, caroline. i also think we should stop naming those who are “more likely to succeed”. it puts unnecessary pressure & overlooks hidden diamonds. i’m glad you’ve been able to sit with failure, talk to it, accept it, and move forward.
thank you so much 🫶🏻🫶🏻
Teaching myself that failure is part of the process has been one of the hardest things I've ever had to. Still working on it.
it’s so hard! but worth it! thank you for reading jodie 🫶🏻
I think you’re winning 🫶🏾
ily 🫶🏻🫶🏻
I love this! When I was younger I never took failure well either, and tbh, I’m not sure how good I am at it now, definitely better but not by much 😅 this is a great reminder to keep trying, always!
thank you so much rion!!!
thank you for the encouragement, to be brave and to put yourself out there, because failure is proof that you’ve tried and that’s already a win!
absolutely! thank you so much 🫶🏻
needed to read this today😭 as someone who has massive rejection sensitivity, i needed this reminder more than you know!! as always, thank you for your beautiful words caroline🥹🩵
this means everything! thank you so much kirby!!!
This is SO good Caroline!! 👏❤️
thank you so much!!
As a fellow grad student this hits home. The fear of failing has kept me from starting projects but I’m trying to rewire how I determine what failure really looks like. Much like you, it’s not longer an F but something within myself.
yeah absolutely! thank you for reading!
Caroline, I feel this SO deeply. Thank you sm for sharing your thoughts 💕
thank YOU 🫶🏻🫶🏻
Thank you for this little window into your mind. I loved this. This is going to encourage a lot of people!
thank you so much!
Love it.
thank you!
Incredible work Caroline
thank you aaron 🥲
This is such an important thing to remember. Most of the time, when I face failure, I feel like my whole plan for life is collapsing and everything will go downhill, but that never ends up being the case, life just moves on. It will keep moving on. So thank you for reminding me of this again <3
yes exactly! failure is not the end of the story🫶🏻 thank you so much nature!!
this was beautiful as ever!!!!! i've always been TERRIFIED of failure and delayed applying to colleges for undergrad because of that and a whole lot of other things, but i've been trying to do things despite fearing them lately (re: lit mag submissions) and it feels great while simultaneously feeling absolutely terrible because at least i'm trying!! and if i don't try i've already failed either way