Kate,
You are absolutely right that often the advice people give says more about them than you. If you have people around telling you you shouldn't try to do something because you might fail at it, I would take a long hard look at those people and ask yourself whether they really have your best interests at heart and whether you should continue to be friends with them. It sounds like you have a lot of toxic people in your life who don't want you to achieve your full potential because it would make them feel smaller.
Personally, I always view it as a challenge when someone tells me I can't do something. (My mother says the fastest way to get me to do something is to tell me it can't be done, lol.)
And that reminds me of another quote--I don't remember who said it--something like "The only true failure is if you never try." There's nothing wrong with failing at something. Look at failure as a learning experience. If you try something and fail, you have still accomplished more than the people who are too afraid to even try.

) I would have thought that my tea package is trying to make contact
I just edited out your quoting of me, I didn't delete anything you wrote. I really confused myself. But I don't want you to freak out when you see that, "edited by HCG" on your post.