Humans are bound to make mistakes throughout their lifetime. Committing
mistakes is probably the one thing that separates human beings from Him. God
makes no mistakes, but humans do. The mistakes we commit must not become a
suffering for others. We have to apologize about and rectify our faults that
have affected other people. Manning up for our mistakes makes us a better
person and someone worthy of respect. However, doing that isn’t as easy as dealing
with our handsfree devices. It takes
courage to admit our shortcomings. The steps below can serve as a guide to help
you take responsibility of your own actions. Care to read them if you may.
1.
Acknowledge the tiny voice inside of you. Your
conscience or your super ego is the moral arm of your personality. It is not a
tool to keep you away from trouble; rather it tells you what part you played in
the trouble. Morality is subjective; it is relative among people of different
races and creeds. Some may feel guilty when they forget to flush the toilet,
while others don’t even care at all. You first need to realize that you have
committed a mistake before you can admit it to others. Simply put,
acknowledging that there is a mistake will allow you to proceed to the next
steps.
2.
Practice some empathy. Being the object of a
fault isn’t easy. Its aftermath can range from being a simple slap on the wrist
to destruction of a person’s life. Put on the shoes of the person you wronged
and view your actions and their consequences from his perspective. Doing this
will help you understand whatever reaction he may have after the unfortunate
incident.
3.
Admit your mistake. The legendary Bruce Lee once
said, “Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.” I
know it’s very hard to admit your mistake to the person you wronged, but
nothing will happen unless you tell it to him straight to his face. This is for
you as well because it’s hard to live day by day with a guilty conscience, and
getting that admission out of your system will help you sleep soundly at night.
4.
Apologize. This comes right after admitting your
mistake. Say the magic words “I’m sorry” and express your remorse for the fault
you have done. Sometimes your pride gets ahead of you that you can’t apologize
in person. If you don’t do it now, you might not have a chance later. Be
transparent like an LCD screen protector
in expressing yourself, and be polite. You might not like what that person will
say; just think that his untoward comments are a result of the pain brought
about by your mistake.
5.
Make amends. It’s not enough that you admitted
for your mistake and apologized for it. Learn to rectify the damage done. Take
hold of the situation and try everything in your power to at least lessen the
extent of the injury.
6.
Face the consequences. There may be times that
things won’t come the way you planned them to be. Fate may not be always
smiling upon you. Ready yourself for whatever the effects your mistake will
bring you. You may not be forgiven right away, but you don’t have to think that
it’s the end. Time heals all wounds. Someday when you least expect, the
friendship that once gone on standby will again flourish.
7.
Move forward. Committing mistakes is just normal
for every human being. They happen from time to time. It’s alright to feel bad
about the wrong you have done, but don’t let the drama consume you for a long
time. Take note, you can’t change the past. Might as well accept it and learn
from it.
Life per se is an anthology of mistakes. We commit them from time to
time, and those are what make us a better person. Keep in mind that even the
greatest of things came from mistakes.
