As I think about recent events, I have to remember that everyone makes mistakes.  Sometimes that is hard to admit, but it’s a truly important lesson.   People hear information but don’t confirm how true it is and share it.  They think they have the correct directions but end up on the other side of town.  They try to make their favorite recipe but forget an ingredient.  Those are mistakes, and we are all entitled to make mistakes.  We are human.

As a therapist, it’s interesting to talk with patients about making mistakes.  Some struggle with past mistakes and allow those mistakes to take over their lives.  They beat themselves up and it affects their self-esteem and confidence.  It keeps them from situations that would improve their quality of life.  It keeps them isolated and increases depression and sadness.   Those emotions grow until they become so overwhelming that it’s hard to leave the house.  That’s no way to live.

Whether someone is struggling with simple mistakes, like the wrong ingredient in a recipe, or big mistakes, like causing someone harm, managing your mistakes can take time and require support.  Processing events and learning from mistakes can be key to overcoming them.  I have come to have a great appreciation for history.  Never liked it while I was in school, but as I learn more as an adult it has given me comfort.  Learning from history, and from past mistakes, can improve your outlook and your mood.  The trick is to find the lesson.  When you forget an ingredient, you tend to be more careful next time when you make the recipe and confirm ingredients more as you go.  If you cause someone harm (whether physical or emotional), only you have the power to learn from your actions and not repeat the same behavior.  One important piece of learning from mistakes is to take responsibility for them.  You can manage your mistakes by blaming others for your choices.  There is no change in blaming others.

We all have the power to make changes and manage our mistakes.  We can change our behavior.  We can change how we treat others.  We can confirm directions, so we don’t get lost.  We can confirm information before we spread it.   Making mistakes and learning from them starts when we are children.  We make mistakes learning how to walk or get dressed.  As we grow, we make mistakes learning how to be friends and interact with others.  We learn how to manage when we make mistakes with money, and how to recover.  We also learn how to manage mistakes at work and at home.  Mistakes are a part of life and will likely always be a part of life.

There are times when we make mistakes, and no one notices.  There are other times when we make mistakes, and hurt people.  Making mistakes is a part of being human.  We should be used to making mistakes, but we should also be used to doing the right thing to make up for them if that is needed.  There are differences between making mistakes and lying (but that’s another post).  Don’t let your mistakes make you question your worth.  Don’t let your mistakes increase depression or anxiety.  Remember that mistakes are part of what makes you human.  And being human is all a part of being happy, for life.