Learning When Not to do It Again

We’ve all done stupid things and gotten in trouble. Our little Biscuit got reprimanded and needed a time out. Her face says it all. She knew she did wrong, got caught, and felt bad about being in trouble. It can be thought being a puppy and learning the hard lessons of growing up.

What’s true for a puppy is true for all of us as well. We’ve all gotten in trouble or did something that made us feel bad about ourselves. We all make mistakes and have to figure out how to recover from this set back. It can be hard to forgive ourselves while still learning the lesson which will help us in the future. Learning occurs when we don’t do things over and over again.

How many times do you need to make the mistake to understand? How many times do you push the limit before you realize it isn’t working? How many chances do you give yourself to stop before you start down the path of a bad habit? And how willing are you to be honest with yourself that things need to change? Sometimes you need someone else to point out your error out of love and a desire to see you succeed. Which means you need to have people around you who are able to speak into your life and help you avoid future mistakes.

It is our job as parents, partners, friends and leaders to help those we love develop into the person we can see that they are inside. It sometimes means correction and bold words to heads off future mistakes before they turn into bad habits. So be honest with yourself and let others be honest with you. Be willing to learn the hard lessons and forgive yourself for your mistakes. Wisdom is gained when we learn from our mistakes and know when not to do those things again.