Day 61

The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.  

John Powell

I am not perfect. No one is. No one should ever claim to be. We move through this life and we misstep sometimes. We make mistakes. Sometimes by accident...sometimes just bad decisions. We hurt people. We hurt ourselves. We fall down. We hide. We run away. We give up. 

This is a universal truth for all mankind. And we must remember that. Everyone makes mistakes. Its how we deal with the mistake that determines how it goes down in our personal history books. I have a bad habit of really beating myself up over mistakes. I get down on myself, turning whatever it was over and over in my mind, and holding on to it with heavy regret. Even the smallest little thing. Its all a part of that "letting go" issue I wrote about a while back. But I'm starting to learn that part of what defines us is how we handle the aftermath of a mistake. Do you place blame? Or accept responsibility? Do you run? Or do you face the music?

Most importantly....do you learn from your mistakes?

That's what I'm trying to focus on. I've been consciously trying to look at my mistakes and instead of punishing myself for them...I try to use them to educate. Its not easy. But its the only way we grow. I guess I'm trying to think of them as stepping stones to a better me. 

I see it in 3 steps. Wanna hear them? It's your lucky day!

Step 1: Accept responsibility

Step 2: Identify the lesson

Step 3: LET IT GO!!

The part I'm having trouble with is that last one. Even after you recognize the lesson from the mistake, it can still be very hard to let it go, to forgive yourself. But we must try. I have an entire life to live and things are going to start getting very heavy if I keep carrying all of my mistakes around. 

We just have to remember that we WILL make mistakes. It is inevitable. But at the end of each day, as we reflect on any thing that went wrong or went right...we just have to promise ourselves that we will make better mistakes tomorrow.

Day 61: I am grateful for every mistake I have made. For each lesson learned. Each battle scar. Each little stepping stone that has made me who I am. I am grateful to all those who forgave me my mistakes and I will strive to show myself the same kind of mercy in the future.