Mistakes

Mistakes...mistakes are scary. Mistakes often *feel* like little failures. Mistakes, even the little ones, can make you want to give up entirely. Why is it so difficult to deal with mistakes? Why do we often beat ourselves up for making them?

I have learned something about mistakes recently and have begun trying to take my own advice regarding them. I have been trying to accomplish a lot of things WAY outside my comfort zone and have, you guessed it, been making mistakes. I am REALLY good at telling my students that mistakes are proof you're trying, but I am not good at taking this idea to heart.

Why? Fear. Simply put. I am afraid that I am not going to be able to achieve what I am setting out to do. I know that mistakes happen, I know that I am learning something every time I make one, but somehow fear creeps in and these little mistakes feel like the END of the world. They are not. I know that I cannot continue to be afraid of failing. I also know that I will not fail. My goals, my dreams...they will take time. I will trip along my path. I may fall. But I will succeed.