100 Things I Want To Tell My Children And Grandchildren, #42 

This photo is in memory and honor of my beautiful, eldest sister, Gloria. I miss you.

You are going to make mistakes. Sometimes dozens a day. That’s doesn’t mean you don’t make good decisions too. 

 

No one ever told me I was going to make mistakes in life, but that most would probably be OK. So, I’ve always sort of felt like a failure. 

It wasn’t until last night (more years into my life than I want to admit), in the middle of one of my almost daily self-flagellations, I realized I don’t just make a lot of bad decisions and mistakes, I also make a lot of good decisions.

All in all, looking through my also perpetually positive (or maybe rationalization) lens, I’m a terrifically successful (and very fortunate) person!

 

So, just yesterday, here are the good and bad decisions I made - and I challenge you to do the same:

 

Bad Decisions

Worked more than half of a Saturday

Ate a too-high carb breakfast, and ate it too fast

Spent too much money on a manicure and pedicure

Didn’t assert myself to get the manicurist I really wanted, and settled for a less-skilled person

Didn’t exercise

Didn’t shower

Ate too much for dinner and ate too fast

Ate a high-calorie dessert

Spent too much money on groceries

 

Good Decisions

Stepped up to help a client with a tricky problem

Got ahead of schedule on another deadline project

Made my hubby’s favorite breakfast

Treated myself to a relaxing manicure and pedicure

Spent some quality time with my hubby - doing some things with him I don’t particularly enjoy, but which he does

Ate healthy sushi for dinner rather than something higher-calorie

Purchased some expensive but high-quality groceries

Treated myself to a favorite dessert

Didn’t spend too much of my day obsessing over my children’s and grandchildren’s wellbeing

 

So I just want to let my kids and grandkids know it’s OK to make bad decisions and mistakes (as long as they aren’t life-threatening or hurt someone else). Try not to  beat yourself up too much. Just try to make the good decisions list longer than the bad decisions list, and learn from your mistakes.