If there's one thing I have learned as I got older, is that I will continue to make mistakes. There is no getting around it. Because I am an impulsive person, I jump full speed into a project and overlook any typos I have made in the process. Talk about embarrassing!
My latest faux pas was publishing my historical novel which had many typos in it. Because I trusted my editor friend I sent the manuscript to the publisher without proofreading it myself. Needless to say, I was mortified. I beat myself up for days.
But there came a time when I had to let it go. "Let it go!" you say. Yes, let it go. If something happens in our life which we cannot fix, let it go. Ruing over our mistakes keeps us in the past when we are supposed to living in the present.
When we cannot let go of a painful memory, we are doing actual damage to our physical bodies. Our bodies never forget what we are experiencing While we are reliving the past, we are producing chemicals which cause it to think that the incident is actually occurring and cause us to feel the pain all over again. So, yes, let go of your shoulds and and self-blame!
I hear so many people go on about "I wish I would have..." or "I wish I wouldn't have.." Their regrets are preventing them from enjoying the present time. There are more days behind us than in front of us, so we better make the most of them.
I will continue to make mistakes, and now I am okay with that. It means I am always trying to learn something new. I am also learning from my mistakes, but that does not mean I make fewer of them! They are just different ones. I will not allow mistakes to stop me from growing, to meet the challenges that come my way
So leave your regrets and mistakes in the past where they belong, or one year from now you will be regretting that you wasted today by being in your past.
You are such an inspiration for us old folks! Thank you for your words of wisdom!