Admitting a Mistake

Some people have an innate humility that allows them to fully admit when they are wrong, some find humor to smooth these times and for others, it’s one of the most challenging things to navigate. How we handle these uncomfortable moments can shed light on what internal struggles we face. We are doing ourselves a disservice when we sweep our mistakes under the rug without fully facing them. With practice, we can view these errors as a time for growth while prohibiting them from overtaking our emotional well-being.

Are we afraid that through our mistakes we are creating disappointment, looking stupid or losing love and respect from others? Whether we deem these follies big or small, allowing ourselves to admit they have happened helps us recognize that we are imperfect. From here, we can take action toward rectification either through readdressing the situation, giving an apology or offering restitution. Knowing we have done what we can to make a situation right helps everyone involved move beyond the mistake toward a place of forgiveness. Though this process will be unique to each person, taking these steps will help us grow in compassion for ourselves and others as we navigate our way through this life.

It takes courage acknowledging our weaknesses and vulnerabilities when we’d rather look as superheroes who could do no wrong. We are going to make mistakes, so we might as well choose to accept them as part of our path. Moving forward with this understanding, we can find the grace to use them to learn and grow.

Action:
When you make a mistake, how do you respond to it? Do you point it out, laugh it off, shrug your shoulders in dismissal or tuck it away as if you’d rather not acknowledge it? Often this depends on how large we deem the error to be. The emotions we feel when someone is watching us changes our reaction even further. It can tap on every exposed nerve we have been nursing throughout our lives. Learning to deal with our mistakes when they happen is all about practice, because frankly, we will continue to make them throughout our life. What is the way you would like to behave in these situations? Find your ideal version, give yourself permission to evolve and begin practicing this way when a mistake comes up. In time, you will find yourself placing less emphasis on your mistakes and more on your ability to healthily get through them.

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