#embracing failure

Failure is one of those words that makes people uncomfortable. It carries weight, shame, and disappointment. Nobody wants to fail, and most of us try our best to avoid it. But life has a strange way of teaching us that failure isn’t always the enemy. In fact, it’s often the very thing that shapes us. It breaks us open, clears our path, and forces us to grow. It’s a hard lesson, but failure can be…

For, struggling means you are trying.

Time to get honest. For the past 2 years, I've been navigating the challenges that came with building a tangible practice for my niche creative work. By struggle, I mean trial and error, figuring out what works and continuously refining my approach.

Some days feel like leaps forward; other days, it’s as if I’m starting from scratch. Yet, through it all, one thing has remained constant—my unwavering drive to keep going. I can feel the vision in my mind and in my bones.

These past two years have been difficult, not just because of the work itself but because at every stage, I’ve encountered limiting beliefs—the voices whispering, You’re not working hard enough. You’re wasting too much time. Oh, you haven’t found a job yet? When are you getting married? The kind of thoughts and conversations that can bring you down if you let them.

You see, when you're working towards a vision that only you can see, you learn to rely solely on yourself. But if you allow the external noise to creep in, it can defeat your determination and your drive.

Your struggles are nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, in this phase, you learn to show up with your chin up, and your heart bursting with pride. Why? Because when you struggle for something, it means that vision holds real value for you—you're willing to push past any obstacles to make it real. Your struggle is proof that you're trying, learning, and no matter how hard you fall, you care to get back up.

Why am I sharing this?

Because at one point, shame began to creep in. It asked me to peek around about what other people had to say about my journey. I started to feel embarrassed about my struggles as if they were something to hide—as if they somehow tainted my worth.

Eventually, I realized this shame was draining me of my creative energy—the very force that fuels my curiosity, my articulation, my sense of wonder, and my courage to share it all with the world. And it seemed unfair. Why should I feel ashamed of something that is bringing ideas to life?

So I let go, and instead, chose to wear my struggles with pride.

At the beginning of this year, I participated in a national seminar where I had the opportunity to present orally alongside three other colleagues. While my peers received accolades and awards for their outstanding presentations, I did not. I accepted the judges’ decision with grace, understanding that my competitors were exceptionally skilled in their explanations, and their projects were…

How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Failure is something we all try to avoid, yet it often turns out to be the best teacher. Looking back, one of my biggest failures was a project I was passionate about but couldn’t see through to success. At the time, it felt like a dead-end—months of hard work, late nights, and sacrifices, only to watch it unravel. But in…

Written by: D. Marshall Jr In a world where social media showcases the highlight reels of others’ lives, it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparison. You scroll through images of friends and influencers, each post a carefully curated snapshot of success, happiness, and achievement. But here’s the truth: the journey to success is rarely as glamorous as it seems. Paving your own path is about…