Our errors are our trials.
Please discuss. How does this play out in life?
I’ll start us out. We’re usually pretty hard on ourselves. We don’t like to make mistakes and often beat ourselves up when we do. To compound things, others—spouses, parents, kids, bosses, friends—may also show their disapproval when we mess up.
Large or small, our errors frequently result in judgment, whether by ourselves or others. The message seems to be clear—we’re stupid, careless, inconsiderate, lazy, not good enough. An error in decision or execution of an action is translated into a character fault. It’s painful to experience this denigration on top of handling the fallout of the mistake itself. The negative emotions distract us from course correcting and bog us down.
That’s not to say that we would want to blithely continue to repeat the same error thoughtlessly. Learning a lesson from an experience is always useful. We will, however, find it easier to move forward in a different way if we or others aren’t reinforcing a negative self image.
Today’s message reminds me to be kind and understanding with myself and others when mistakes are made. Focusing on the desired outcome first will help alleviate an error more quickly. Afterward, a neutral and non-emotional review can help prevent a reoccurrence. I get more of what I want out of like when I don'[t judge myself or others.
How about you? How do you deal with mistakes?