The inspiration for this post came from within. Just with this blog alone, I have had many opportunities to “eat humble pie” and have all of you in cyberspace viewing my mistakes (everything from bad proofreading to a blank post being advertised).
We all make mistakes. It is an integral reality and expression of our humanness. Some of us (myself included) may not want to admit that we are fallible, but we are. We ALL are.
Quest for Perfection
There are many people in this world who are on a quest for perfection. Mostly they demand this of themselves, but sometimes these people impose their quest for perfection on others. My desire for perfection, for the most part, is a self-imposed pressure that I do not expect others to emulate. I am my own worst critic. I HATE to be wrong, I HATE to err, and I often do a fabulous job of verbally beating myself up when I make a mistake (thanks mom, great modeling!!! 🙂 ) “I should have known better, why didn’t I read their mind, why didn’t I predict the future, why, why, WHY?”
Acceptance of Humanness
Why do I make mistakes? Because I am. If I am living and breathing, I WILL make mistakes. We all make mistakes. As I grow and mature I continue to understand on deeper levels that the essential ability is not perfection, but the strength to cope with my shortcomings. My character is demonstrated by my response to my faults. Can I forgive myself for mistakes? IF I can learn to forgive myself, it is easier to extend forgiveness to others. Can I allow myself a second chance? Often we learn more from our failures than we do from our successes.
Making Amends
If you have made a mistake that has caused significant hurt to another individual, you need to make amends. This is not always easy. Sometimes this involves a simple apology, and other times it may involve financial remuneration, mediation, or perhaps a therapeutic intervention. This is a critical component to repairing mistakes. This step cannot be skipped (though many people attempt to). If this step is skipped, the bottom line is that the issues caused by the mistake remain unresolved…. sometimes for a lifetime.
If your mistake only has caused yourself pain, making amends may involve actively righting a wrong, or consciously choosing to enter that state of self-acceptance.
Letting Go
Letting go is the final step to managing mistakes. We all need to be able to walk away from our unflattering life moments and head into a new chapter. Once you have made amends for your mistakes, you can move on….. living your life to the fullest (so expect more mistakes to arise!)
Get over yourself – it is okay to make mistakes. In fact, I have noticed at work that when I am strong enough to admit my faults, it gives my staff members the courage, support and modeling that enables them to admit to and work on their flaws as well.
Until tomorrow~
400daystil40
Fortuitous Forty!!! 
Winifred Perot
March 19, 2012 at 07:01
Luckily Im pretty laid back.