Have you ever had those moments where you think “why oh why did I do that? what was I thinking? I messed up!” This is normally followed by instant regret, disappointment – at yourself of course – then “I knew I shouldn’t have done that” well, I’ve said this many times, and still do – welcome to my world!
Why mistakes are necessary….
I had a friend who gave me some great advice when I was having one of those ‘mistake moments’. She simply said this “Karen, without the sour how can we taste the sweet? Without the mistakes how do we learn?” and she was right. How would we know how amazing it feels to do the right thing without taking some wrong turns along the way. Life is full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and whilst learning the lesson through trial and error may not seem fun at the time, making mistakes teaches you what not to do next time. It allows you to think differently, make better choices, and grow in life…..and in business!
EVERYONE makes mistakes – after all – we’re human aren’t we!
How do I move past my mistakes….
I’m sure we all have that person/persons in our lives that say “oh just suck it up and move on” or my favourite “just get over it already!”….not helpful, not helpful at all. The most important thing I try to remember is that I am so much more than my mistakes, and to give myself permission to move past the situations I wish I had made better choices with.
Top Tips from a self-appointed Professional Mistake Maker – (yep, me ☺):
- Accepting that I made a mistake
I find it very hard sometimes to acknowledge I have made a mistake. I know deep down inside myself that I have, but admitting that to both myself and others can be so difficult! However, to heal, and move on properly, I had to.
- I had to be kind to, and forgive myself
Remembering that I am still worthy of good things, am doing the best I can and will do better, be better, is important. My mistakes do not define me, I am a good person.
- Learn the lesson
I always try my best to find the lesson in the mistake, and not do it again. I know I cannot change the past, but these are opportunities for self-improvement, self-reflection, and self-development.
- Making things right
If my mistake has affected or hurt others, I have to apologise. Let’s be honest here, this can be extremely hard because of shame, embarrassment, and heck, it can hurt my pride! BUT every action has a consequence, that’s just how it is, and once done, I feel relieved – maybe not immediately – but eventually, when that weight lifts of my shoulders, I am able to move on.
- Letting it go
I have to tell myself how amazing I am! Let go of the self-hate and embrace the self-love. Focus on who I am when I’m at my best, build a stronger, better version of myself, and accept that I am not perfect.
Finally…embracing your mistakes
We each have the ability to rise above the setbacks, to try harder, keep growing and improving. Don’t let your mistakes hold you back from achieving your goals and dreams. Whilst failing at something never feels good, it is not the end of your story.
She made mistakes…..SHE DID IT ANYWAY!
Please note: If none of this helps, go to Plan B: A big fat cry, a proper DEADLY feed of chocolate, pick yourself up, and KEEP ON GOING.
https://magandamakers.business/tools-and-resources/
Shared with love, Karen xxx