As young adults, we constantly fear making mistakes. We fear feeling as failures. We fear letting down our family, our peers, and most importantly, ourselves. However, making mistakes is inevitable. It is a part of life. And as long as we learn from our mistakes, making a mistake is not a mistake.
We fear that our mistakes will label us. However, that is simply our brain reacting to our own failures. For example, it is no secret that I have made many mistakes in my life. I've overreacted, under-reacted, skipped class, drank too much, etc. However, none of these activities define who I am. I'm not an aggressive nor passive person. I'm not apathetic nor an alcoholic. But, I am someone who takes a step back and analyzes my own actions after they have occurred. This is because mistakes help you discover who you truly are, and where you are headed. They give you an opportunity to reflect and change course if you wish to do so.
"There is a power inside every human against which no earthly force is of the slightest consequence." - Neville Goddard
Mistakes not only help us grow, but they teach us about forgiveness. I've had many friends who have made mistakes which have hurt other people (me being included) and never believed they would recover from such event. But one of the biggest lessons you can learn from these kinds of situations is to forgive yourself and forgive the people around you. No one is perfect, and no one intends on hurting other people. And although forgiveness can be difficult, freeing yourself and freeing others of judgement and guilt can allow true personal development.
"When you forgive, you in no way change the past- but you sure change the future." -Bernard Meltzer
The last thought about the importance of mistakes is that they teach us to not fear, fear. If we functioned in such a way, if we constantly avoided the things that feared us, we would never experience life for what it truly is. Putting ourselves at risk of making a mistake is what makes us human beings. It teaches us how to live fearlessly and a follow a life without regret.
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." - Franklin D. Roosevelt
So go out there and live your life to the fullest. Make a mistake, then pick yourself up and smile about what you've learned. It is purely our human nature.
