Freedom

Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.” 

― Mahatma Gandhi

How do we free ourselves from the terrible thoughts and judgements we have for ourselves? We have the freedom and ability as human beings to change our thinking at any given time. But, then why don't we change? Is it more comfortable to think of ourselves as less than? Has society taught us that it is bad to have self esteem and actually like ourselves? I run into so many people that are just miserable and their life is a big pity party, always saying woe is me... how many people do you know or see in your daily lives that remind you of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh!!! How can you change that? What can you do to like YOU?

Mahatma Gandhi quote says we all have the freedom to make mistakes and where along the way did we learn that we are supposed to be perfect? I know I am not and never will be perfect and maybe it has been a cop out that I have used my entire life. I remember being young and on long car rides with my parents;them wanting us to have a quiet contest and I was always the first person to speak up, "I loose, hahaha I get to talk again". Then I also remember learning to needlepoint when I was young and the person that was teaching me would get so upset if I made a mistake, and I would challenge them and say, “Why does it have to be perfect? I am human and I am not perfect!” We all make mistakes and some of us have the ability to move past the mistake and keep trudging. But others have an overwhelming urge to be perfect thinking that their life will be perfect. When is that ever the case? When are we as humans really happy? When things are perfect? I think not. 

We were not made to never make mistakes. In fact, from most mistakes I have made I have learned many of life's lessons. Yes, it is hard and sometimes even painful, but I learn from that pain. That is a gift: to be able to learn from the mistake and move forward, being grateful that you learned that lesson. 

In life I have found that mistakes and freedom to make them has been a gift. We can’t be too hard on ourselves. We are not computers. We have feelings and different situations bring up different feelings for each of us. A person can have a bad day but, you can move past that. Let it go! Life is too short to keep trying to be a perfectionist. All we can do as humans is do that best we can do, nothing more and nothing less. Furthermore, we need to be nice to ourselves. Feelings are not real. move past them and when making a mistake look at it as a lesson that hopefully you can learn from and move forward. Sometimes we make the same mistakes over and over again. Forgive yourself, and maybe this will be the golden time that you do learn. By the way, it is ok to laugh at yourself and know, yeah I am not an Apple or Dell product. I am human and I do make mistakes :)