One of the most critical aspects of living a healthy life is learning to accept mistakes and appreciating what they taught us. “We all make mistakes” is a saying we hear all the time. Everyone in the world has made a mistake and has faced the aftermath of anger, frustration and anxiety. The important thing is that we learn from it. Here are some positive affects of making a mistake:
They show us what we really want: When I first started college I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to major in. So, for 2 ½ years I struggled down the road of chemistry, chemistry and more chemistry only to realize I was interested in something completely different. Once I accepted that I made a mistake in choosing a career path that I hadn’t really thought about, I was able to make the positive change to a degree that suited my passions, my goals and me.
Mistakes teach us it is okay to be flawed: Most of us try too hard to attain the unattainable- perfection. This chase will only lead us to depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. Learning that mistakes are a natural part of pursuing goals and dreams can in fact build self-confidence and promote further emotional growth and happiness. It also allows us to see others who make mistakes as simply human, and we become more compassionate and understanding of others faults and our own flaws.
Mistakes teach us about our fears: Mistakes help us better understand our fears. We can be so afraid of failing or making a mistake that we refuse to actually live life. When we are able to accept that mistakes may happen in our journey, we are empowered to take that first big step.
Mistakes help avoid making more mistakes: We often hear people say, “I’ll never make that mistake again” after dealing with stressful consequences. Although we may wish we could turn back time and never make the mistake in the first place, the only thing we can do is learn from it and carry this valuable lesson forward so that we avoid making the same mistake again.
Mistakes are an inevitable part of living a fulfilled life. When we learn to accept mistakes as learning opportunities we will find that we have less fear and anxiety and more confidence and compassion. As Mary Tyler Moore said, “Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave.”
