The Cup Was Cracked… But It Still Held Coffee

Join the Rise With Joice Circle

 Episode: 1 | Read Time: 3 minutes 


 “I failed. I completely failed.” 

 That’s all Tara could say after she shut down her small handmade soap business. She had poured months of savings, weekends of soap-making, and dreams into each bar. Instagram posts, handwritten notes, eco-friendly wrappers — everything was perfect… except the sales. 

 After three orders in two months, she folded. But here’s where the story doesn’t end. 

 The Pause That Looked Like a Full Stop 

 For two weeks, Tara didn’t leave her room much. She watched others “win” on social media. Her cracked confidence whispered:

 “Maybe I’m just not meant for this.”

 One morning, while sipping coffee from her favorite old mug (ironically chipped), she stared at the cup and thought: 

 “It’s cracked… but it’s still holding coffee.” 

 That hit her. Hard. Maybe failure wasn’t the full stop. 

Maybe it was just a semicolon; A pause before a rewrite. 

 The Rise (Not the Viral Kind) 

 Tara didn’t start a viral business overnight. 

 She did start journaling. 
Then she took an online branding course. 
Then she messaged 5 small cafés to offer free soap samples. One café replied. 
Then another. 

By month 3, she got her first bulk order — and a message from a customer saying: 

 “This soap feels like self-care in a box. Thank you.” 

 Moral of the Story: 

 The crack in the cup didn’t ruin the coffee. 
Your failure doesn’t define your finish line.
Sometimes, growth is slow. 
Sometimes, confidence is chipped. 

But you’re still capable of holding on to purpose.  

Reflection Questions for the Reader:
 • What “failure” are you carrying that might just be a pause?
 • Is there something you’ve given up on too soon?
 • What’s one tiny step you can take today? 

 Join the Rise: If this story made your heart whisper, “me too…”, 

follow @risewithjoice on Instagram for more stories, carousels, and weekly joy boosts. 

And remember — even chipped mugs serve strong coffee. 

 #RiseWithJoice #MotivationBlog #RealStoriesRealGrowth #YouCanRise #FailureIsFuel #InspirationForYou #StartAgain

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