How to Forgive Yourself for Past Mistakes?
No matter the situations we might be going through, there is a universal truth: All of us, eventually, will make a mistake in our lives.
I’m talking about the kind of errors that we keep reliving in our heads, and sometimes, those mistakes can have a lasting effect in our lives, preventing us from enjoying it at its fullest, keeping us up at night, and draining our happiness away.
Ideally, we would want to go back in time and erase those mistakes. But, since we can’t do that, the only option we have is moving forward.
Here you will find some personal advice that has helped me move past my mistakes and live a better life.
Recognize your mistake, learn from it, and move on.
Mistakes are mistakes -nothing more, nothing less. I believe the first thing you should do after screwing up is to acknowledged and take accountability for what you have done. Instead of creating excuses or blaming someone else, it’s much more effective to own up to it because this will allow yourself to analyze what went wrong and avoid that feeling of guilt.
Whatever mistake you made, even if there are consequences to live because of it, does not define you or your future.
You are not your mistake. Stop punishing yourself as a whole and start directing your thoughts on not letting your past mistakes affect you.
Forgive yourself first, then seek forgiveness elsewhere.
Often we think that the way people treat us stems from our mistakes. And usually, when we are overwhelmed by these mistakes, we become victims of confirmation bias; we actively look for every little hint that tells us we’re in the right to have people and life treat us horribly.
Then, we dig ourselves in a deeper hole by endlessly looking for others’ approval before we come to terms with ourselves. In reality, you are more focused on yourself than others likely are, and everybody else is more focused on their own mistakes than others’.
The people around you, much like you, are dealing with their share of regrets; therefore, you don’t need to rely on peoples’ opinions to make you feel complete.
“Without forgiveness life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.” -Roberto Assagioli
Learn to look at the bright side.
It’s easy to think about the consequences that a past mistake can leave but, wouldn’t it be better if we could find good things out of it?
It might take a little effort, but it’s certainly possible to recognize the potential good of any situation in life.
Maybe you can teach others to do better if they encounter an identical experience to yours. Or perhaps you missed an excellent opportunity, but consequently, this has trained you to recognize similar opportunities when they come along.
Progress in life is not linear: sometimes mistakes can drag you to low points, and other times they can lead you to new heights and marvelous discoveries.
Past mistakes can be hurtful, but they are a part of life; developing the willingness to learn with the desire to become better are essential keys to help you get over unfortunate circumstances.
