Let go of mistakes and look ahead with purpose

Understand that past experiences can pave a path into your purpose when you are willing to learn from the mistakes and then let them go.

When you harbor anger, bitterness and embarrassment from the ills of your past, you stay stuck in a place that blocks any growth potential. You stay rooted in the past, letting the present pass you by.

Don't stay stuck in the past. You lose focus when you live in the past, when you hold onto the baggage of all the failures you've made in your life.

Don't dwell on your past failures. Don't let mistakes shackle you from achieving the things you desire to achieve.

How many times have you made some mistakes and rather than learn from it, picked yourself up and kept going? Did you dwell on that mistake? You beat yourself over and over again, wishing you could change what you did or what happened. You wish you could return to that time in space and re-do the situation. But that is not ever going to happen.

Let yourself off the hook by telling yourself that you did the best you could for that particular situation, that you did what you thought was the best approach, and don't judge yourself.

When you can let go of the past, let go of the guilt associated with the mistake, and let go of the fear that making that mistake has caused, you can live in the present with more fulfillment. Learn from any mistakes made and just keep moving forward.

So how can you let go of past mistakes? How can you continue to move forward despite feeling as though you have messed up so bad that nothing will ever go your way?

* Assess the mistake. What were the variables involved? Did you have enough information when you made the mistake? Did you lack any resources that would have given you a different outcome? Sometimes mistakes happen because we simply don't have all the information, all the tools or resources necessary for a successful outcome. The situation might have been ideal, but we proceeded ill-prepared.

* Look at the situation. What was the particular situation in which the mistake was made? Was this an ideal situation? Should you have been involved in the situation that created a mistake? Sometimes we find ourselves committed or involved in things that we really should have said no to. And when we ignore that urge or prompting to avoid the situation, we walk right into it anyway. That was the first mistake. Then other mistakes follow because it really isn't the right situation for us. So take a look at the situation and determine whether or not the circumstance was one that should have been avoided.

* Remember to let yourself off the hook. Don't beat yourself up. Go back to the first step where you assess the mistake. After you process what happened, figure out what you could have or can do differently to get another outcome. No matter what mistakes you make, and you will continue to make them, don't give up. Don't allow yourself feel or be defeated.

* Continue to move forward with purpose and clear vision. When you can assess and let go of your mistakes, your purpose and vision remain clear. You are able to keep moving, not allowing the mistakes to shackle you to your past, nor allowing fear to keep you from trying.

You will make mistakes. You can't run from that fact. But when you do, take the time to go through the assessment process so you can learn from it and then let it go, knowing that you cannot change the outcome or the set of circumstances in which the mistake was created. Dust off the anger. Dust off all the negative feelings associated with that mistake and just keep moving.

Remember that mistakes are not the end of the world, and your success is still possible.

Until next time, think about this: “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” — Albert Einstein

With definiteness of purpose,
Gwen Thibeaux