Learn From Past Mistakes
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This morning as I was having a shower and while the water was coursing down my face, I reached out for what I thought was the shampoo. I placed a dab of it in my hand and rubbed it through my hair, but somehow the result was not what I expected. It did not lather or foam up; something just did not feel right. Through my blurred vision and sense of feel, I realized that, as I have done before, I had picked up the conditioner instead of the shampoo! Choosing the only other bottle available, I massaged its contents through my hair. To my delight, it was the shampoo; things were now in order!
This may seem like a simple example of an idea I want to present, but in it lies an important message. How many times have we taken a course of action that we thought was the right one, only to find out later that it was not? The consequences that followed our actions may have negatively impacted not only us but also our families and our job situation. It is important that to avoid making wrong choices when facing a challenge, a problem, or opportunity that we not just ask ourselves questions about, but answer them too.
Some of the lessons we can learn:
I believe that we all face challenges that require us to make wise decisions, because these challenges are presented for our personal growth. Now, I can hear some groans, and one of them is coming from me! These challenges can be compared to the skins of an onion. Each layer represents a lesson to be learned. And if we have failed to learn from the last lesson, we may find ourselves facing more difficult challenges as we peel off the skins from succeeding layers. Every one of us can learn from our mistakes and turn them into strengths that will help build our character. Or we can do as I did with the conditioner, not looking carefully at the label and thereby failing once again to learn from the last time. Even so, in the future I will set the shampoo and the conditioner in separate locations before showering, and from this lesson make wise decisions before taking any future course of action.
Why have we not learned from past lessons?
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It may be that we did not take the time to carefully process the initial information and, therefore, we fail to grow and learn from it.
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Sometimes we may have issues that stem from our upbringing, and the process of delving into the past to learn from them may be too painful. In order to cope with life, we behave in a way consistent with our upbringing. And we continue to face everyday life making the same mistakes, not learning from past lessons.
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It may be that we are in a codependent relationship where our behavior is dependent on what others think of us. We want to please them, and so to avoid conflict, we continue to make the same mistakes.
I encourage each of you, as I will do, not to focus on your past mistakes, but rather learn from them. It will help bring out your best and the best others.
Thought’s for the Day:
There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse; as I found in traveling in a stagecoach, that it is often a comfort to shift one’s position and be bruised in a new place.
~ Washington Irving, Tales of a Traveler
Determination, patience and courage are the only things needed to improve a situation. And, if you want a situation changed badly enough, you will find these three things.
~ Anonymous
Until next time, this is Nurse Audrey signing off.
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