Season 2, Episode 4: Failing Forward: How Setbacks Fuel Your Soul

In this insightful and candid episode of Ask Colleen, Colleen St. Michaels explores the concept of "failing forward" and how setbacks can fuel soul growth. Sharing personal anecdotes and experiences from her clients, Colleen encourages listeners to view failure not as an end, but as a stepping stone toward personal and spiritual expansion.

Life may feel like it’s "under construction"—literally and metaphorically—but Colleen reminds us that obstacles are opportunities for transformation. This episode dives deep into how fear of failure, disappointment, and fear of looking foolish can hold us back from living fully. Colleen emphasizes the importance of taking radical accountability for our choices, emotions, and healing.

Key Takeaways:

1. Redefining Failure:
   Colleen discusses how failure is simply a first attempt in learning (F.A.I.L). Shifting our mindset can turn these experiences into valuable lessons for growth, rather than allowing them to paralyze us with fear or shame.

2. Fear and Shame:
   Many of us are held back by the fear of failure, which often leads to self-sabotage. Colleen encourages us to have honest, intimate conversations with ourselves about our fears and what is truly holding us back.

3. Lessons from Setbacks:
   Colleen shares personal stories, including one about a rejected car purchase that turned into a better opportunity later. She encourages listeners to reflect on past disappointments and identify the hidden blessings or lessons that emerged from those experiences.

4. Spiritual Practices for Resilience:
   Colleen outlines spiritual tools like meditation, mindfulness, and the powerful Hawaiian prayer, Ho’oponopono. These practices can help us release negative beliefs and ground ourselves in peace.

5. The Power of Self-Compassion:
   Treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer a best friend. Colleen reminds us that disappointment and loss do not define us—what we learn from them does.

Spiritual Insights:

• Fear of failure doesn’t have to control your life. When we fail forward, we open ourselves to new opportunities and growth.
• Spiritual practices, from breathwork to self-compassion, can help us navigate setbacks and reconnect with our soul’s genius.

Practical Tips:

• Practice a "body scan" meditation to locate where fear of failure is held in the body, and release it.
• Use Ho’oponopono to clear negative energy and make space for healing.
• Reflect on your attachments—are they based on your soul’s desires or on fear?

Join Colleen for this empowering episode and learn how to embrace failure as a necessary and transformative part of your spiritual journey.

Connect with Colleen:

• Website: www.colleenstmichaels.com
• Instagram: @colleenstmichaels

Tune in to this episode to learn how to harness your setbacks and step confidently into your soul’s purpose. Remember, failure is not the end—it’s just a redirection toward your higher self!