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What to Do When You Really Mess Up and 9 Steps to Take
You wake up and you hope it was a nightmare. You shut your eyes tight like maybe if you just go back to sleep it will disappear. You brace yourself before checking your phone to take in the wreckage. We’ve all been there.
Humans make mistakes. Even robots make mistakes, so take comfort in the fact that even though you feel alone in your shame, messing up is a part of life, but you don’t have to let it eat at you.
So, what do you do when you really mess up big time, and you’re filled with regret?
Here are Nine Steps to take to help you navigate your mistake.
Take Accountability
The first thing you need to do when you mess up is take accountability for your actions. Maybe you sent a really shitty text message. Maybe you self-sabotaged a good relationship. Maybe you didn’t think before you spoke and really hurt someones feelings. Maybe you let fear take over and missed a golden opportunity and are filled with regret. Maybe you made a financial mess. Maybe you drove drunk and crashed your car or injured someone.
I’ve made all of these mistakes and many more, so take it from me, I’ve had plenty of experience in messing up and cleaning up the aftermath, and the first thing you need to do to move on is hold yourself accountable.
Whatever it is, don’t waste your time blaming someone else or trying to figure out how you might not be at fault.
Ultimately, we are always in the drivers seat of our lives, and while we can be influenced by others, we’re the ones with our hands on the wheel and our foot on the gas pedal. Your foot accelerated, and you need to admit that to yourself.
It may feel easier to blame someone else, or even blame your parents for the childhood wounds they inflicted on you that cause you to do the things you do, but that kind of thinking is going to keep you stagnant.
When we take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable, we can grow, learn the lessons, and do better in the future. You’re going to make a lot of mistakes in life. You can either make yourself out to be a victim and stay small, or you can swallow your pride and become a stronger, wiser person. Choose the latter.
