Skip to main content

Turn mistakes into opportunities for growth

Yes, you've made mistakes. Yes, you have regrets. Yes, there are past decisions that you wish you could change.

But what good does brooding over the past do? If you're not careful, you could sink into a deep depression that will be very difficult to claw out of.

There's a reason the windshield is bigger than the rear view: Because what lies ahead is much better than where you've been!

Turn those missteps into lessons. Leverage those blunders into life-changing growth. 

Think of it this way: If we never fell, how would we ever learn to pick ourselves up again?

Seize the opportunity to become stronger and wiser.

So maybe you wish you had never met your cheating ex or chosen law as your profession. A broken heart or load of debt later, you might kick yourself for not having seen all the signs.

But don't spend all your time lamenting your mistakes. Embrace them, and allow them to transform you. 

You will find a good partner who remains loyal to you. You will find a career that suits you. The important thing is that you let persistence -- and your burning desire to make up for lost time and/or money -- fuel you.

The very thing that put you in this tough spot is the very thing that is going to make you more discerning, more enlightened, more judicious. It may not appear that way at this time, but someday you'll be glad you erred.

Of course, that doesn't mean you should make mistakes on purpose. It means that with the knowledge and experience you've gained, you will not make the same mistake twice.

We are products of our past, but that in no way means we have to be prisoners of it. If anything, our past holds the very key to what awaits us. Once we assess the choices we've made and are confident we wish to do better, we have a clearer sense of where we wish to go from here.

We didn't fail; we learned. Only by making mistakes do we acquire wisdom.

When you hit a roadblock while driving, does that mean you give up on finding your destination? Of course not. You find a different route, and next time you might avoid that street.

Rather than sulk, resolve to learn what you can do better next time. Assure yourself that, moving forward, you're going to be conscientious about the decisions you make -- big or small. 

Learn to see your past -- your mistakes, your shortcomings -- as a special gift that will ultimately pave the way toward a bright future. Learn from it rather than allow it to deprive you of happiness. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it?  After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is  still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n...

Women vs. Men: Who likes to backstab more?

Whether it's on TV or in the workplace, the general consensus seems to be that women gossip, backstab, and stir up more conflict than men do. But, as with every other topic, I thought it only fair to put this so-called stereotype under the microscope. If you watch reality shows like Celebrity Apprentice, you'll notice it's the women who spend far more time bickering. While the men do at times become embroiled in tit for tat, it's the women who are portrayed as meaner and more hostile. In the workplace, I have noticed that women seem to gossip far more than their male counterparts. I haven't really seen any cases where a person blatantly backstabs the other, but I have caught both men and women in little white lies. If it is true that women are generally more into backstabbing and gossiping than men, why is this the case? I believe that it isn't fair to make a blanket statement like "all women play these games while all men keep to themselves and pre...