Life is full of twists and turns. It can become difficult to stay positive when bad things happen. It is easy to say that one should pick oneself up, wipe oneself off and keep going. But it can in practice be a very difficult thing to do, to keep going and to stay positive through the negative occurrence. This is one of the biggest challenges of life, I believe.
There are times bad things transpire that we have no control over. It can make one feel powerless and even at times hopeless. There are also times when a bad thing happens and one blames oneself for it happening. Perhaps a mistake was made by the person and now they are faced with feeling guilty and even angry at themselves for making the mistake or perceived mistake. These are the times when it is especially difficult to carry on with positivity in life.
I have made mistakes in life that left me feeling like I am a fool. I felt embarrassed and angry at myself. I asked myself over and over again how could I have been so stupid? It is not a happy place to be. But a crucial part of leading a happy life is learning to forgive. That encompasses forgiveness of others, but also importantly, forgiveness of oneself. When we make a mistake we are forced into a situation where we learn something. The very act of recognizing our mistake means we have learned something we did not know before. Mistakes happen to everyone. Mistakes are part of life.
The way to inner peace after making a mistake is through forgiveness of oneself. We must recognize that we are human, and thus imperfect beings. Mistakes can and will happen, to everyone at some time or another. Through making mistakes, we learn and grow. But that learning and growth can be very painful. Unfortunately pain is a part of life. And pain comes about when we love others too. If our mistake ended up hurting one we love in some way, this may cause us much pain.
Pain and love are deeply entwined. They cannot be separated from each other. So the next time you are feeling inner pain at having inadvertently hurt a loved one, perhaps through a mistake you made, remind yourself that pain is a part of love. That deep pain you feel is proof that you love that person. It is part of the process of love.
Sometimes we make mistakes we later deem foolish due to the pressure we were under at the time. When you are under great pressure, it is difficult to think at your best. You may slip up and make a mistake you cannot understand when you look back on it. This can be due to the pressure having interfered with your thinking clearly. So do not be hard on yourself. It may be difficult to understand your mistaken thinking, but it is a part of the pressure you found yourself under that caused you to not perform at your best.
Mistakes can be very painful. So too can occurrences that were beyond any of our control. That can leave one feeling very frustrated, feeling like effort to try to change something is merely wasted. This is when we must recognize that we are not in control of events in this universe. The universe is vast, and myriad factors affect happenings that relate to us. The sooner we stop trying to assert our control over things we cannot control, the sooner we can let go the feeling of frustration that brings us down mentally.
Life is full of ups and downs. That is the reality of life. At times, bad things happen. It is at those times when we have to dig deep down to find our inner strength in order to carry us through those harsh times. To wish for a perfect world where bad things do not happen is to be in effect delusional. I believe it is better to accept reality and face it every day, rather than wishing and dreaming for different circumstances. Life offers us what it has to offer, no more and no less.
It is with the acceptance of the reality of life, mistakes, bad occurrences, and all, that we can ultimately find a sense of inner peace. If we continually wish for a different life, we are battling with life as it is. This creates tension and stress and can lead to depression. It is once we accept life as it is, full of ups and downs, that we can start to relax and be comfortable in our own skin. We can stop being angry at ourselves and at the world. We can lean into acceptance and forgiveness. We will find that we have more energy and positivity then. Acceptance of reality is the key to finding inner happiness and peace of mind.
Reminding yourself that life is full of ups and downs can help you to have faith when times are tough that things will in fact get better. One thing certain in this crazy life is change. We do not know what tomorrow will bring, and this fact can be reassuring if we are going through a difficult time. Holding on until tomorrow is what is most important, and then tomorrow could bring better times for us. We must keep that hope alive, that the downturn will move back up in the upward direction and we will find contentment once more.
Tomorrow is unknown. That is both exciting and hopeful. Reminding ourselves that life is full of ups and downs can help in times of distress. You are not alone in experiencing hardship. And there is always hope that tomorrow will bring change and better times. Holding on is key, holding on to hope and to life in general. Giving up will not help to create the change you may be longing for. But instead, being patient and understanding that life, like our moods, has ebbs and flows. Time can be healing and can bring about change that will usher in a new, more positive day.
