Mistakes are a part of life. I was going to say an unfortunate part of life, but with mistakes come growth and positive change (hopefully), and a chance to learn.

In all honesty if I could go back to an earlier time in life and undo all the mistakes I’ve ever made, but would have to forego what I learned and how I grew in the process, I’m not entirely sure I would. Actually I’m certain I wouldn’t. The mistakes I’ve made and what I’ve learned from them are part of what has shaped me as a person. I’m wiser and calmer, and not a lot phases me because of these things.

In fact I know that the missteps I’ve encountered in recent years have ultimately led me to this beautiful point in my life where my dreams feel attainable and anything is possible.

Mistakes can be stepping stones to your desired life if you allow them to be, if you’re open to what they have to teach you.

Mis - takes

Mis-takes are just what they sound like, actions that need another take. If take one was a wash, move on to take two… or three or four or fifteen. But learn in the process. What was it that went awry in take one? What was it that didn’t quite work in take two? Admit where you might have erred so that you can eventually find your desired result, and don’t be surprised if the end result is different from your original plan.

Be loving with yourself in the midst of your mistakes. Everyone is good at being hard on themselves, it takes conscious thought and effort to love and forgive yourself for being human and imperfect.

Of course there are those instances where a momentary lapse in judgment, or any brain activity at all, happened slightly more publicly than I would ever care to remember… ever.

I’ve run the gamut of small missteps to large, someone-please-drop-a-boulder-on-me-and-put-me-out-of-my-misery blunders. Each instance offered me a life lesson that I’ll always remember when and where I was, and what exactly I had done (or in some cases not done), when I learned it.

Truth be told, my mistakes and what I’ve learned from them have been great fodder for my writing. I’ve recently gone back and perused some of the stories and things I wrote before some of the more notable catastrophes of my existence and they make for some humorous reading, believe me.

It was readily apparent to me, as I winced through reading some of the more deplorable works of time gone by that clearly here was an individual who had never experienced anything in life. Yes I had my trials and tribulations in my youth but hadn’t grown enough as a person to be able to write anything of substance. I had to fall down and get back up one or two or twelve times before I could write truthfully, emotionally, and for me, reflectively.

Perfectly Imperfect and Wonderful

I say all this because I’m firmly planted in a live and learn (and grow) transitional phase. And this week has a been a week of taking hard but loving looks in the mirror and tripping all over myself before falling flat on my face.

Now it occurred to me as I repeatedly knocked my head against a wall and berated myself for my own blatant stupidity, that somewhere in all this there was a lesson. Having had a few days to kick myself I know for a fact that my mistake undoubtedly was my continual need to try too hard. Yes trying too hard is definitely not always a good thing.

The lesson, be yourself.

I’ve said this before; I’m horrible at simply being myself because I’m always certain it’s never enough. I’d like a mallet to pound this lesson into my head once and for all.

Despite these recent shortcomings, I still have to be loving and forgiving and gentle with myself. No I’m not perfect, I’m perfectly imperfect and wonderful. And I experience mis-takes just like everyone else in life.  But I’ll be a better person tomorrow because of what I’ve learned today.

Lessons firmly in hand

As always I will have to pick myself up and dust myself off and trudge along, lesson firmly in hand.

The way I see it, people who are making mistakes (and learning from them) aren’t people who are sitting and idly watching life go by. They’re trying and risking and leaping, and yes sometimes falling, but always getting back up and going for it again.  

Here’s to the wisdom that only life experiences, and yes a few mistakes along the way, can give us. 

As musician Cheryl Cole says, “I’ve learned so much from my mistakes, I’m thinking of making some more.” That’s not a half bad idea.

What about you? What have you learned from your mis-takes and where have they taken you in life?