How to Befriend Failure

In 2021 I presented a ten minute talk on how to befriend failure as part of Youth Week NZ. Check out what I had to say below.

Not long after my solo show Twinless closed, I got a message on facebook from one of the organisers of Nelson’s Young and Inspired event asking if I’d like to speak at their 2021 event. I was SO flattered, and excited by this opportunity. I immediately had a million different ideas about what I could speak about.

I’ve always had a soft spot for my hometown of Whakatū /Nelson.

Having been abroad for the majority of my 20s, I feel like I’m making up for lost time by engaging with the parts of Aotearoa that I have a particular connection with.

What could I share that might be useful to the youth of Nelson?! The media release for this event claimed that all the presenters were under the age of 24 (which in my case was a bald faced lie). I was most likely the only millennial presenting. Then came a bit of imposter syndrome. But finally, after much deliberation, I decided to centre my speech around the subject of failure.

During the time that I prepped my talk, I was struggling with some burnout, or perhaps it was languishing. My energy levels were all over the place. I spent the days before my talk staying with my folks and doing my best to take it easy.

But when I got to the Suter theatre that night, my energy completely changed.

As each presenter spoke I got more and more moved, inspired and excited to simply be present as each person shared with such openness and vulnerability. At points, it was breath taking.

I was the final speaker, and below is a video with audio of the speech and the slides I used. I had a lot of fun presenting, and ended up using my carefully written speech as more of a guideline…

Here’s the video, I hope you enjoy it!