Errors, mistakes, a good thing?

What to do when we make a mistake?

In the old culture, we would fight against mistakes and condemn everyone who commit them as sinners… After all, we should be perfect, right? At some level, it worked as people tried their best to avoid errors; on the other hand, it created a fake side of our society, with lots of people hiding their mistakes.

Our present new culture is different. An interesting cartoon circulating around shows two parents in the past complaining to their boy about his marks; at present, they were complaining TO THE TEACHER about the same… We tried so much to prevent errors, that we start to think we don’t make mistakes.

A story was sent via internet not long ago, about a person from a new generation. She made a mistake in the text she wrote, and her boss explained it to her. Big oops! The young employee couldn’t accept and made it very clear, not only in her office, but she even called her mother, who, apparently, supported her perfect daughter.

But it is not the young woman’s fault or her mother’s; it is the context we have created along the years, pretending no errors ever occur, of if they do, it is because we were bad people. Very bad people.

Maybe we should visit that topic and rethink it. Errors are not good, mistakes can damage relationships, ruin careers and many other bad consequences, and yet, it is one of the best ways to learn! In fact, it is not realistic to expect perfection at the first time…

Mistakes can be our teacher, if we allow them to do that, instead of making us into sinners or horrible people.

They can be the leverage we need for our transformation.

Reacting and acting: how circumstances shape our lives.

I decided to check with an AI platform, what it would say about action and reaction, and the circumstances, which are the unseen hands behind everything. Here you are, with a few modifications:

 

The Soul's Journey: Navigating Reactivity and Conscious Action

In the labyrinth of existence, our lives unfold through a delicate interplay of reacting and acting, all orchestrated by the unseen hands of circumstance. As spiritual beings on a human journey, we are invited to contemplate the profound wisdom embedded within this dance.

Reacting, often an unconscious reflex, emerges from the depths of our conditioning and past experiences. It's the instinctual response triggered by external stimuli, woven with the threads of fear, desire and ego. In the struggle of reaction, we find ourselves made to advance by the currents of emotion, sometimes losing sight of our true essence.

Yet, amidst the chaos of reaction, there lies a sacred pause – a moment of choice, full of possibilities. Here, in the stillness of our being, we have the power to awaken to our innate wisdom and act from a place of conscious awareness.

Acting consciously is the art of responding to life's unfolding with grace and intention. It's the practice of aligning our actions with the whispers of our own self, the soul, guided by the compass of love and truth. Through conscious action, we become co-creators of our destiny, creating the tapestry of our lives with threads of authenticity and purpose.

However, it's essential to recognize the role of circumstance in shaping our journey. Circumstances, both benevolent and challenging, serve as the crossroad through which we may evolve and expand. They are the hindsight mirrors showing the lessons we are here to learn, inviting us to dance with them.

In the alchemy of life, our reactions and actions become the brushstrokes painting the canvas of the soul's journey. Each experience, whether joyful or sorrowful, offers us an opportunity for growth and transformation. It is through embracing the full spectrum of our human experience that we come to know the depth of our being.

As we navigate the ever-changing landscape of existence, let us remember that we are not mere passengers, but divine orchestrators of our destiny. Let us embrace each moment as a sacred gift, infused with the wisdom of the cosmos. And in the tapestry of our lives, may we find beauty in the interplay of reacting and acting, knowing that every twist and turn serves to lead us back home to the essence of our true selves.

 

It is interesting that the AI is making us reflect… Yes, a little too dramatic for my taste, almost Shakespearean, but let us remember whatever is in the AI comes from us.

So, I invite you and myself to do exactly that and by thinking, change something in your life, in my life.

If you do envy someone, what to do?

I don’t like the topic of envy or jealousy, but it happens to all of us. I would like to explore envy in the context of personal success, and what to do to rectify or to prevent its negative effects.

 

All of us want to be successful. It is natural and it doesn’t matter our way of life, just like nature, we will look for success. However, there are different types of success, as you know, and I would like to talk about 3 categories which can create some negative feelings within the self.

One type of success is quite superficial: a person reaches a goal and objective. Most of the times, success means going BEYOND those aims. However, it may not be possible and yet, the neighbor/cousin/former boss got that!! It can create a feeling of disappointment or disheartenment. The solution is to go back to school, that is, to understand what is the lesson to be learnt, learn and move on.

Another type of success is to get it through other people. It happens to parents, children, siblings and even bosses: others are successful and the person feels they are successful. It is a very special and pure sensation, something close to selflessness and it enables the individual to move forward. The only problem is the sense of an empty nest, particularly when the effect of that success by proxy fades off. Create a good life along with others’ success and there will be a personal feeling of achievement.

The last category of success may be called a holistic success, which means to be successful in all ways possible: spiritually, in terms of work and family, as a personal fulfillment and more. It is the sense of success of having done a wonderful job in life and nothing else remains to be done, it is pure satisfaction. There is nothing lacking in that type of success, but it is possible others are not so satisfied. I have seen people renouncing their dreams because of others’ feelings. The solution is to talk more with others and share some of the success with those people, reassuring them about their importance.

Heaven or hell? It all starts in your mind

OK, let’s imagine this scenario:

You got up very late.

You forgot to iron your clothes, so you have to get an old one.

You are about to leave home, when you remember today is a very important day!

You go back and when you iron the shirt, it burns a bit.

You burn your finger when you complain about the burning in the shirt.

You have probably burnt the carpet too!

Now you are TOO LATE.

You go out, looking for a taxi; no luck!

You try your favorite app for a ride, but no luck again!

You have to get into a transport somehow, when a car comes nearby you and splash your recently ironed-burnt shirt with water from the street…

 

Well, you are probably anxious just by reading this… This is like living in hell, or a quite hellish moment.

These are the small tragedies we tend to go through, things that are really not catastrophic, but they can give some headache or even a heart problem.

Now, what about a change of perception? Instead of living in hell, you are living in heaven…

You got up very late. The first thing you do is to meditate and express your gratitude.

You forgot to iron your clothes, so you have to get an old one. That was the first thought; in fact, you are so capable and full of energy, that you go and iron it right now; and here the narrative changes…

You are about to leave home, when you remember today is a very important day! Again, you meditate before leaving and you feel more than grateful.

You go back and when you iron the shirt, it burns a bit. Well, you have ironed it already, with no accidents; you are already on your way to work.

You burn your finger when you complain about the burning in the shirt. That does not happen! You are almost there…

You have probably burnt the carpet too! You are watching others while you go to work, you feel so good.

Now you are TOO LATE. You are going to arrive on time, that’s great.

You go out, looking for a taxi; no luck! You saved money with a taxi…

You try your favorite app for a ride, but no luck again! You also saved money with that ride app…

You have to get into a transport somehow, when a car comes nearby you and splash your recently ironed-burnt shirt with water from the street… You arrive safe and on time.

 

As you can see, by changing your perception, by thanking and being a reflective person instead of a reactive one, you are able to change the narrative of your life.

And the small tragedies become small moments of wonder.