Everyone makes mistakes, everyone has things they struggle with. It has been my experience that those things that I consider a challenge, a difficulty or a mistake made are really opportunities to learn. For me, if a concept is difficult to grasp, it makes me want to know about it all the more, becaue I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment I get when I finally grasp the idea or concept and the even better feeling I get when I can apply that concept in another situation.
When I have made a mistake whether it be in work or regular life, I now know what not to do, so I can do things differently the next time. We all struggle with things, we are all going to make mistakes. Usually this is not encouraged. I had a recent experience where I made a mistake at work. Employers in the past would have berated me for this; however, I work for an amazing company that looks at mistakes as lessons and my employers and supervisors all hold the philosophy that if we didn’t make mistakes we wouldn’t learn and a there isn’t much that can’t be fixed. I have been with this company for a about a year and a half now and I have to say I am still amazed when this is the response to typos, misspeaking or any other mistake that can be made in office jobs. This company is helping me to unravel and deconstruct a lot of the toxic idealogies, habitual responses and reactions to stressful situations that I have gained thorughout my 26 years of being employed. This philosophy has bled into other places in my life and it is a great blessing to me.
I look at mistakes, and difficulties much differently, I respond differently and I am more relaxed (which for a Virgo that is a perfectionist at heart; that is an amazing accomplishment. Many people think that if we make mistakes we are not striving for or putting forth our best effort. Many people think if we struggle with something that it is a failing in ourself. This is the furtherest thing from the truth. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses. Just because something is easy for me doesn’t mean it is easy for someone else and vice versa. It does, however, mean I have an opportunity to learn something new, assess and possibly change my perspective on things and try a different path.
Since, beginning this work I have begun to seek out challenges. This year my challenge to myself is to learn Gaelic (Gaidhlig) and declutter my house and simplify my life, so that I can enjoy the experience of it without being bogged down in the material things of life. And I challenge myself to learn more about different ways of life, different religious and spiritual perspective and expand my horizon.
What challenges do you have in your life? What can you learn from these challenges? What could you do differently in these situations?
What would happen if you stopped looking at it as a challenge and instead viewed it as an opportunity? What opportunities are you willing accept today? What can you do different in a situation where you feel you made a mistake?
The Frith Wytch 