Cleaning Up Mistakes

Because we are humans, we do or say something that we regret. What happens after than can go one of two major routes.

Route one:

1. Panic washes over us. We aren’t perfect and that hurts our pride.

2. We find ourselves trying to justify our behavior.

3. We get angry, defensive and reactive.

4. In order to cover up our guilt, we dig in our heals and maintain our stance in believing our actions were justified.

5. Guilt creeps up when we least expect it. So, we anxiously justify our actions yet again to ourselves and others; and brush it aside. Repeat.

   • Sometimes we act irrationally, overreact and otherwise misbehave in other (even unrelated) situations due to our attempts to cover up our guilt, lack of authenticity and lack of integrity.

Route two:

1. We remind ourselves that our having integrity is of utmost importance—much more than our pride. So we move forward based on the type of person we desire to be.

2. We acknowledge our mistake with humility.

3. We clean up the mistake with those who are affected by it (even if it’s just ourselves) by

   • apologizing,

   • explaining why we believe it was a mistake,

   • explaining why we don’t want to make the mistake again,

   • discussing what actions we will be doing to fix the mistake,

   • willingly receiving and considering input and feedback from those who were affected,

   • taking corrective actions.

4. We live in the freedom of knowing we don’t have to be perfect because we will clean up our mistakes as soon as we recognize them. Living in our integrity makes us a better, more confident, authentic, trustworthy and peaceful person.

Do you need coaching? Please contact me. I’d love to help you.