How Embracing Oops Can Change Your Life
Do you focus on all of the ways you feel you aren’t good enough? Do you frequently feel guilt and shame when you consider how you’re messing up? If so, you’re not alone.
Ellie became a high-achiever at a young age. She got the best grades, went to an Ivy League college, and had a fulfilling career as a primary care physician. She was married to her best friend and they had three children together.
She was well-liked in her community and had several close friendships. But Ellie was also a perfectionist. The trait served her well in her academic years and made her an excellent doctor with an eye for detail.
But unfortunately, Ellie’s perfectionism made it hard for her to forgive herself. She regularly reviewed her mistakes and kept a mental tally of all the things she was doing wrong. She included things on her list like fussing at her toddler, being fifteen minutes late to the office, snapping at her husband, and eating an extra-large chocolate muffin for breakfast. Ellie didn’t realize that this was preventing her from being her best self.
Can you relate to Ellie’s struggle?
Practice Saying “Oops!”
What if you made more space in your life for the word oops? What if you stopped grading yourself based on what you have or haven’t done? What if you let go of the guilt and shame you carry around? You would learn to be your best self!
Kelly McCausey of Love People + Make Money says, “We are so rough on ourselves! Self-judgement comes down hard when we make mistakes. Why not try a simple ‘oops’ next time you blunder?”
Rocking the Apology
Sometimes, your blunder impacts other people. Maybe you sent out a client’s sales campaign with a big typo in it. Maybe you missed a friend’s party or forgot an important appointment.
Whatever your mistake, don’t hide from it. Instead, focus on using the combination of ‘Oops, Sorry & Thank you’. You could say, “Oops, I made a mistake there. I’m sorry I caused you frustration. Thank you for catching it.”
Give Others Grace
What if the blunder isn’t yours? What if someone else messed up and you’re not sure what to do next? You can start by offering grace, especially if the blunder was an oversight or minor inconvenience. By giving others grace, you will be your best self.
You could say, “You missed our meeting last week. I know how hectic things have been for you. Are you still on for next week?”
Don’t blame the other person or accuse them of intentionally trying to hurt. Instead, focus on covering them with grace. After all, the more you give grace to others, the easier it will be to extend grace to yourself.
When you mess up, embrace the word oops and let it go. You can’t be your BEST self if you’re constantly focused on all of your mistakes. Instead, hold tight to grace and know that you don’t have to be perfect or flawless. You’re already worthy.
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