I was recently asked what my biggest mistakes have been. Honestly, the question caught me off guard. Aren’t these things we try to minimize? Forget about? Definitely not talk about, out loud, in front of other people!?
Our mistakes do not always easily come to mind. They often trigger thoughts of shame and regret. But honestly friends, we should not be ashamed of our mistakes. I have learned my greatest lessons through mistakes. I have built this beautiful life that I have on the backs of my mistakes.
May I encourage you to not shy away from them? But rather to embrace them. Learn from them. Allow them to humble you. And then move forward. Mistakes are simply the framework of our future. When we view them that way, they lose their power over us and they instead become our power.
Some of my biggest mistakes in life didn’t come from action, but inaction. They came from being too afraid to make mistakes. I stayed on the sideline for far too much of my life because it was better to not try than to try and fail. Such a small life I lived.
Now, I’m learning to take risks. Humbly admit mistakes. Take the lessons. Share them with others. And move on. Don’t play small friends, that is not what we were created for. Chase down the things you want. Be not afraid of failing, be afraid of standing still. Your mistakes do not define you. Don’t allow something that was simply meant to be a bump in the road become a roadblock.
We are human, we are literally made for mistakes. We are imperfect creatures in an imperfect world. Do not hang your head when you mess up. Own it, apologize when necessary, pick up the lesson and move forward. Chin up sweet friends. You’re doing great!
