Re-frame Mistakes
When we make a “mistake” (I have that in quotes for a reason) we often label it as bad. Why? Because we’ve been trained to think that way.
Mistakes fall into the category of small failures. You’ve probably all heard the famous Thomas Edison quote, “I didn’t fail, I learned 10,000 new ways to make a light bulb.” That’s true, he learned what he did “wrong” or rather what didn’t work, and just needed to take a new action, find an improvement. (And thank goodness he did because now we have electric lights!)
Don’t Judge, Act
When we make a mistake, it really means we need to take new action. That’s all. Course correct. Don’t beat yourself up, change directions.
We tend to get all hung up on “mistakes” because we’ve been taught to label them as bad as I said above. We’re trained to judge ourselves. “Why didn’t I do it right the first time?” or “Why can’t I ever do things right?” or “What was I thinking doing that?” or any variation of that theme. That’s why “mistake” is in quotes. It’s not really a mistake, it’s an opportunity to re-frame what happened, to look at it another way. A way that doesn’t involve judging and getting mad at ourselves.
Why feel bad and blame yourself and beat yourself up, maybe even name-calling yourself? “I’m so stupid I can’t get it right” or worse. We’ve all been there. We’ve all beat ourselves up for a seeming “mistake.”
Sometimes, mistakes can lead to “miracles.” If we’re willing to put aside the judgment and leave our minds open, greater things can happen.
Ever Date the Wrong Person?
For example, if you’ve ever dated someone only to find out they’re bad news and then gotten down on yourself for doing so, you’re not alone. We’ve probably all been there. If you can let it go that it wasn’t your best decision and move on, then you can spare yourself the black-and-blue session of beating yourself up verbally. Then guess what can happen? You can meet a great person!
If you re-frame the “mistake” of picking the wrong person, then you open the doors to meeting the right person. It’s not just a case of that trite saying, “When a door closes, a window opens.” Yes, that’s true, but there’s more to it than that.
When we make what we call a mistake and then follow it up with berating ourselves, we’re staying in the lower vibration of judgement. When we judge it’s hard to be open to new people, new ideas, new lovers because we’ll attract more of the same. If we can let go of the judging then we raise our vibration, which brings in new people, situations, ideas etc. Don’t see it as a mistake you dated the wrong person, see it as a realization that person wasn’t a match. Now you know what to look for in the future – the opposite of that person.
For the perfectionists and “control freaks” out there (I say that lovingly because most of us are to some extent), we have a tendency to immediately judge and berate ourselves or others. Part of the lesson for perfectionists is to learn to let go of the control. When we’re controlling, how can the universe bring us what we desire?
Your Job is to Just Sit Behind the Wheel
Remember my analogy of driving the car and manifesting? Your job is to sit behind the wheel. The Universe’s job is to be the GPS. It tells you where to go, when to turn your wheel, when you’ll get there. If you’re always turning when the GPS tells you not to, how will you get to your destination? You might, but you could be taking the long, convoluted route or you may not get there at all.
Same thing with white knuckling the wheel. Holding onto the wheel so tightly is an indication of fear or anxiety, trying to control the situation.
Don’t turn until the GPS tells you to. Don’t white knuckle it either because if you follow the turn list, you’ll get there just fine.
Make a U-turn
To use the driving analogy again, what happens if you turned too soon, a “mistake?” No big deal, right? You just turn around or find another way to get back on track. That’s one reason I love GPS. If you made a wrong turn, it’ll quickly re-route you. Think like your GPS!
It’s the same way with making a mistake in your life. Take a new action. Don’t worry about the one you just took that ended up being labeled as a mistake. It’s done. It’s over. Move on. I know, for many of us that’s easy to say but hard to do. Get in the habit of it.
If you’ve ever gotten lost or missed a turn and ended up taking the scenic route it’s a perfect opportunity to enjoy the ride. Look at the countryside, see new construction, find a new route, whatever the case may be. Enjoy it, don’t worry about it. You’ll get there.
Many couples fight when the driver makes a wrong turn. That’s happened to us. My husband gets mad at himself for not paying attention or I get mad at him for it. (Thankfully we don’t do this anymore.) Either way it’s a lose/lose. At the end of the day, so what? Make a U-turn. It’s called taking a new action.
Next time you make a “mistake,” make a U-turn. You just turned too soon, that’s all. Remember that analogy. You’ll still get there. It may take you a few extra minutes, but it’s ok. Stuff happens. We mess up. We didn’t pay attention, we acted too quickly, whatever the case may be.
Let yourself off the hook for your “mistake”, avoid the judging and berating and make a U-turn. You’ll still get there.
