When You Make Mistakes

We are humans and not angels for a reason. We make mistakes and mistakes sometimes make us feel so uncomfortable, embarrassed and disappointed in ourselves. Making mistakes is inevitable so we might not be able to ever stop it, but one thing that we can do that can make our mistakes worth the time is how we respond when we make mistakes. Our actions after making a mistake is what is important.

After making a mistake, the first and foremost thing to do is to regret our actions. In regretting our actions, we think in our mind of the various other ways we could have planned out our actions and try as much as possible to develop a different plan from the one we did. In trying to determine a better way to have planned out our actions, we are learning from our mistakes. Of what good is our mistakes if they do not make us better versions of ourselves. So the most important thing is to first determine what the best line of action could or should have been.

Beyond understanding the other better way to have planned out our actions, the next most important thing is to apologize to the person we offended. Most times our mistakes affect or cause harm to others, in apologizing, we take the blame and ensure that the other person understands that we are simply just being human. And in being human, we naturally have to make mistakes. One bad thing to do when we make a mistake is trying to cover it up and sometimes using others as our shield. This might save you for the time being, but would not work for long. This method is not strategy proof. You would always need to lie to cover it up.

So after realizing how best we could have played out our actions and have apologized for it, we then need to tell ourselves that our mistakes do not have to define who we are. Mistakes are lessons to make us stronger and not necessarily an identity that shows who we are. Mistakes should not define who you are. Who you are is the person after making that mistake and things have become clear to you. Never attach yourself too much in your past that it shapes who you are going to be in the future.

Realize that the past is a lesson for the future and not a framework for the future. In living your life based only on your mistakes and your past, you are only reliving yesterday and what sense does it make to relive your yesterday today. It means today has no real meaning or value to you.

So as you start your day, realize that making mistakes would be inevitable and that you can make some people hurt by your mistakes, but know that your mistakes do not define who you are and you can always come out on the other side a better version of yourself. See yourself as growing everyday and do not let the mistakes of the past hold you down. You are much better than what the past gave you. That is why today is here to serve you something better.

Do have a great day and God Bless.