Mistakes Are Failures When You Quit

Several years ago an on-line journalist make a mistake in the use of the word "penultimate." People let him have it in the comments section. You would have thought he'd done something which brought the end of the world closer. He didn't. Instead of using the word to mean "second to last," he used it to mean, "last." I'm assuming he continued to write, but I know people who would have quit.

People make mistakes. That's how we learn. I bet the reporter knows how to use that word. He may also be terrified of making a mistake. So many people allow mistakes to devastate their self-image.

There are some mistakes which are devastating. You could lose a job, a relationship and, yes, someone could be killed. Most mistakes, however, aren't of the devastating variety. They can be embarrassing, which is uncomfortable, but not devastating.

Let's look at some ways you can handle the mistakes of life, some which can be publicly embarrassing.

Just Face it. If you're like me, you want to avoid looking at your mistake. You don't want to look at the feelings you're having. It's not that you don't want to look at the feelings, you don't want to feel the feeling. Stop and look and what you did or didn't do. Acknowledge the facts to yourself. Recognize that the situation didn't go the way you wanted.

Contemplate it. Review what what happened. When did you get the first whisper that you were on the wrong track? Did you

ignore that first inkling that something was not right? If so, get in touch with why you avoided listening to the still voice within you which said, "Pay Attention!"

Recognize that everyone makes mistakes.  No matter what anyone says to you, everyone makes mistakes, and, yes, those mistakes can be as bad or as thoughtless as yours. The difference may be that you are looking at what happened and are going to be sure it doesn't happen again.

What part did you play in this event you'd rather not have happened? Were you the instigator or were you the one who could have said, "Stop. Let's think this through." You may have been the one who had no idea what was going to happen.  Was there some way you could have known?

• If you need to make an apology or talk with someone about what happened, do so sooner rather than later. Owning up to your part and correcting what you had a hand in will help you resolve the feelings you're having. It'll help you learn what you can do to prevent future similar situations and move past the current event with grace and ease.

Remind yourself you’ll get through this. You’ve survived challenging times before and you will survive this. Depending upon what happened, it may take you some time to work though things, but you'll be able to do so.

What got you through previous tough times? Did you talk to someone? Exactly how did you get through the previous  situations in your past? If those strategies helped you, apply what you can to the current situation.

Did your action or inaction have a negative effect on your overall goals? Is your objective still achievable since your mistake? You might want to change directions. Take some time to think it over.

Establish a new objective if necessary. If your previous goal is no longer achievable, where can you go from here? There is always another option. True, it might not be what you previously wanted, but you can move in another direction. What’s the best thing you can work toward now?  Once you determine your new goal, map out a plan that will move you toward happiness and success.

Get support if you're struggling. Sometimes close friends and family will give you the support you need. Other times you need an objective third party who can help you see through the conflicting emotions. Don't be afraid to ask for the support you need.

Look for healing. This can be with a therapist who can assist, a religious leader or engaging in healing prayer. If you don't know how to pray for healing, learn how to use this simple 5-step Soul Healing Prayer by clicking on this link.

Keep going. As you work through the above steps, you can move forward and let go the difficult emotions of the past. Yes, your life may be changed and you'll need to change directions. Accept that what happened and keep going. Moving forward means you’re empowering yourself to get past what you can no longer control and continue living a fulfilling life.

You can successfully rise above any situation which as occurred. Life may be very different. Find the resources within yourself you may not have known existed. You can do it!