Face the consequences. Embrace the consequences.
The consequences of being an alcoholic were tough.
I lost clients. I lost friends. I almost lost my business.
I had to fight my way back from that, battling for every inch of ground, to be where I am today.
But I don’t regret those consequences.
Consequences are a fucking gift. The consequences of failure, the consequences of your mistakes, the consequences of every choice you make. They’re a gift and they are a chance to grow.
They’re ripples that emanate from the actions we take, and the words we say, and the words we hold inside, ripples that reach out across a vast ocean, becoming waves that hold a magnificent power to change, erode and reshape even the hardest stone.
Every consequence brings the chance to change.
I’m still reaping what I’ve sewn, but I’m finding new threads of happiness, new love to nurture, and a path of companionship.
In those ripples, I have so much hope for the person I have a chance to become now. A person I may not ever have imagined; but a person who can live and breathe again. 🖤
Joan Westenberg is an award winning Australian contemporary writer, designer and creative director. She is the founder of branding and advertising firm Studio Self. Her approach to messaging, communication and semiotics has built her reputation as a writer, and she has been named as one of the leading startup voices in Australia by SmartCompany.
Her writing has appeared in The SF Chronicle, Wired, The AFR, The Observer, ABC, Junkee, SBS, Crikey and over 40+ publications. Her regular work can be found on Pizza Party, a blog about creativity, culture and technology. Joan is the creator Transgenderinclusion.com, an open-source workplace inclusion hack, and the author of the book #DIY, a manifesto for indie creativity.
