No one is perfect. Each of us have and will continue to make mistakes throughout the course of our lives. Many of us can be tempted to harbor regret about what we’ve done or haven’t done in the past. It can easily become a yolk that slowly winds itself around us making progress and going forward nearly impossible. But what if we flipped how we perceived our past errors? What if we opted to learn how to view our past mistakes as a strength rather than a weak link? What if we had the ability to use what was and wasn’t as a means of becoming wiser, stronger and more fulfilled?
Say what?
I’m serious. We can mill over the gazillion mistakes we have made. There’s the simmering on how we should have and could have taken different paths or made better choices. But my question is? Why? When we make the conscious choice to own our present and take hold of what we have or haven’t done int the past the game changes.
You cannot change what was. Repeat that out loud. You cannot hit rewind and redo anything. When we realize that it’s then taking a few different approaches to better ourselves.
How to view your past mistakes as a strength
The words we use about our past and present impact our belief system about our worth and ability. Instead of using phrases like, “I wish I didn’t do that.” Or, “Why didn’t I do that? ” Our mindset is crazy important. When these words pop into our minds or leave the tip of our tongue, it’s replacing the statement with a total do-over.
It’s replacing with statements such as, “That happened and that butt kicking experience surely did make me stronger.” Or there’s, “I’ve become wiser in choosing what to do in the present from that experience.” The messages we send and say to ourselves are important and hold more influence on our mindset than we can imagine. Gaining control of your thoughts and messages take time, but it’s a battle that is worth waging.
A few ways to make this process kick into high gear is leaving positive messages in visible places with post it notes. Or there’s placing a snug rubber band around your arm for a few weeks and any time you repeat or think anything negative you snap the rubber band. It stings, but it’s a quick learning method for being hyper aware of what we are saying and what we should be saying.
Dude, you’re a survivor!
Give yourself credit. You’re here, you’re alive and you’ve overcome obstacles. You rock! When was the last time you told yourself that? Instead of feeling this oppressive sense of being a victim or how life may have short changed you, “dude, you’re a survivor!” When we focus more on what has been overcome and where we are versus the bruises, bumps and fouls our mindset is tremendously more positive.
Remind yourself daily that you are a survivor, you are awesome and you’re kicking butt in life! These words are easier to say and digest when we fight to believe them and we remind ourselves daily of our worth.
Wisdom is a thing…
We are foolish when we repeat the same thing again, again and again. There is power in looking forward and using what was and wasn’t to make better choices in the present. If we so choose the past can be a platform for becoming wiser. Wisdom is ascertained over time, with patience and through life experience. It isn’t doled out like ice cream.
How to view your past mistakes as a strength
So the ball is in your court. Today is a new day and the decision is ours as to how we choose to view our past mistakes. It’s asking ourselves, is it a weakness or a strength? Our mindset and determination play a massive role. Allow yourself to step away from the shackles of past what ifs and what nots and go forward, become stronger and rock out your awesomeness!
