Bouncing back from failure

Persistence and resilience are your best weapons when it comes to facing challenges, so remember, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again

- ELEANOR CRIPPS Home wellness expert

I've worn many different hats over the years, some structured and serious, others soft and whimsical. There was the vintage-selling teenager, scouring op-shops for unique treasures. Then the wide-eyed 21-year-old who opened a little boutique and lived in the apartment above, folding denim by day and dreaming up big ideas by night. I co-owned a cafe, where we served wholesome breakfasts and rich, soul-warming coffee. From there, I became a cookbook author, pouring seasons of kitchen stories into each page, all while quietly running an eco B&B on the side. And now? I find myself here, as the founder of a surfwear brand, and a writer of musings on slow, romantic living and the art of a well-loved home.

There have been many businesses and projects, yes, some short-lived, others with a little more longevity. I couldn’t possibly list them all – I'm sure you get the drift. Each chapter beautiful and vivid in its own way, with many of them, truthfully, not lasting beyond two or three years.

For a long time, I felt tender about that. I'd hear the whisper: Shouldn't you have stuck it out longer? Was that a failure?