Dear Me,

how often do we dismantle what we have build, do we start again, so that we may build it stronger, better, more properly? Sometime this is by choice. Sometimes we feel forced to do so; a reluctant necessary. Going backwards, starting again, is often viewed with such negativity. We demand of ourselves such perfection. Starting over, setbacks, correcting mistakes, they are so often viewed with such shame and fear and sense of waste.

Perhaps it reminds us too much of our childhood, of youthful inexperience, when such a task was normal. How often were we told to go back and try again when we didn’t get it right the first time. How often were we told to do it again, and this time properly when we rushed it, did it carelessly. How often did we come to the wrong conclusion and have to trace ours steps backwards to where we made the mistake that cascaded through the sequence after. This was normal. We were learning.

We ARE learning. ALWAYS learning. Or have we stopped learning? have we stopped taking the risks of learning? Those actions associated with the possibility of mistakes? When was the last time you made a mistake? When was the last time you viewed your mistakes as simply learning? When was the last time you took that mistake and traced it back to where it went wrong and started over from there?

Never forget that growth and progressive movement comes with risk; comes with the risk of mistakes, comes with the need to move backward in order to move forward. Never be ashamed or afraid of this, for this IS growth, this IS progress, this IS success.

–Dear Me Original Thought