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Mistakes precede recovery!

Have you ever realized mistakes quickly catch our full attention? They do because mistakes create an impact in the form of a lack of progress and disappointment. We rarely want to be seen as regressing and yet still be happy. And thus, mistakes make us sharply focus on what is wrong.

However, when it catches our attention, there are possible reactions. 

1. We unabashedly try to hide our mistakes because they create embarrassment and shame. 

The inclination is to brush aside acts that create such emotions and make every attempt to show control of the outcome with no responsibility for it on our shoulders. Make it look like not our doing, or blame it as a silly slip-up. Both ways, we protect our skin despite being responsible for mistakes and outcomes! People will see through your attempt to defend your self-image and will learn to stay away from you.

2. We own up to the mistake. We assess the actions that triggered the outcome and learn how they could have been avoided. It requires grit, courage, and honesty to accept our mistakes. At first, it appears we will lose face in front of others. But soon, we find that breaking the ownership of bad mistakes does a lot of good. People appreciate your honesty and step forward to genuinely support you.

When we own mistakes and introspect on the actions that could have prevented them, we have embarked well into our recovery journey on circumnavigating the same mistakes in the future!

First, we must stop calling out others! Then, we must start by holding ourselves accountable! Recovery will follow when we do.

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