Our immune system is pretty incredible. It detects something foreign, something not you, and then your body reacts accordingly. In a way, your immune system knows who you are, literally destroys the thing that isn't you, and then repairs the cracks.

Last week, I showed where one of my cracks was by sharing a failure. I still don't feel good about failing, but I was heartened by the response of my friends and family. They found the thing that wasn't me — the shame of not succeeding — and attacked it. They helped me remember who I am.

Of course, the experience of failure is part of you. We make mistakes and there are consequences to that. But the demons that come along for the ride with the failure — the embarrassment, the lowered self-esteem, the fear of trying again, etc. — are not you. They're foreign invaders.

That's where your community (your immune system) comes in. We're not alone; we exist together in an integrated way. Show me where your cracks are and I'll show up to remind you who you are.