“Regret is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but does not move you forward.” – Erma Bombeck
The myth “Your Mistakes Eventually Catch Up with You.” might be true, if you harbour regrets from your past errors or misdeeds.
A mistake in general, is a decision or action that we later come to regret. Mistakes almost always result in some form of suffering, loss, or struggle. They might be made consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or unintentionally. Background perceptions, attitudes, instincts, hunches and other factors influences our lives decisions and choices.
Have you ever stayed up at night, replaying awkward or embarrassing moments in your head? Or perhaps it was a decision you made and you haven’t been able to get over it. In response to such stressful scenarios and embarrassing moments, it’s natural to feel frustrated, ashamed, or even distressed. But ideally, after a while, the feeling should pass. Quite a lot of people spend too much time dwelling on the past. However, the most successful ones, are able to pave their way by moving on (mentally, physically, spiritually or emotionally) after failures, mistakes, or difficulty.
Here are Three things that will ensure your mistakes don’t catch up with you:
1. Accept That Mistakes are a Part of Life
“The greatest mistake a man can make is to be afraid of making one.”– Elbert Hubbard
The great thing about mistakes is that everyone makes them. When you make a mistake, keep in mind that it doesn’t define who you are as a person. Try not to jump to conclusions about your worth or value. For no one is perfect.
“To make no mistakes is not in the power of man; but from their errors and mistakes the wise and good learn wisdom for the future.” – Plutarch
The important thing is learning a lesson and trying to do better next time around. So, When you Make Mistakes – Accept Them and Move On!
Accepting one’s mistakes and learning from them often times leads to a more rewarding life. However, people who refuse to recognize their own errors or misdeeds tend to live a frustrating and unproductive life.
“Just because you failed or made a mistake doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. We all fail. Mentally resilient people realize that it’s not failure that defines your identity but how you respond” — Shane Parrish
2. Learn to Forgive Yourself
“Don’t dwell too much on the past. The lessons are useful for the present and a preparation for the future. Move on!” ― Lailah Gifty Akita
Forgiveness is a deliberate decision to let go of feelings of anger, resentment and retribution toward people or yourself for mistakes they made or the ones you made.
Everyone makes mistakes, but learning how to move on from these errors or misdeeds is crucial for your general well-being.
Many of us make mistakes and hold unto them by not forgiving ourselves. When you don’t forgive yourself, you carry around an unnecessary burden.
Learn to take the life lessons from every mistake, forgive yourself when necessary and move on.
“The supreme act of forgiveness is when you can forgive yourself for all the wounds you’ve created in your own life. Forgiveness is an act of self-love. When you forgive yourself, self-acceptance begins and self-love grows.” – Miguel Angel Ruiz
So, Forgive Yourself and Move Forward.
3. Forgive Others
“Forgiving a person who has wronged you is never easy, but dwelling on those events and reliving them over and over can fill your mind with negative thoughts and suppressed anger.” – Dr. Tyler VanderWeele
Practicing forgiveness can have powerful health benefits. Observational studies and recent surveys, suggest that forgiveness is associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety and hostility. While some of the benefits of forgiving others are; higher self-esteem, healthier relationships and greater life satisfaction. Yet, forgiving people is not always easy.
Life is a process that is constantly unfolding; no single event can dictate the rest of your life. People are going to hurt you; they are going to make mistakes that affect you, but you must learn to forgive them.
“A smart man makes a mistake, learns from it and never makes that mistake again.” – Roy H. Williams
So, Accept Your Mistakes, Forgive Yourself and Learn to Forgive Others.
If you are able to do these three things, your past mistakes will not have any hold on you and your future will be a bright and fulfilling one.
Remember, You Have Only One Life to Live, MAKE IT COUNT!
