Which of us hasn’t made a mistake now and then? It sure wouldn’t be me. I’ve made mistakes in my life in every single area. Some were big and some were small.
As I grew out of childhood I realized that learning from mistakes it so important. It was important in school to learn from mistakes made on homework so I wouldn’t repeat them on a test. It was important in the office, so I didn’t get fired! And it was important to learn from mistakes I made within relationships, so I didn’t hurt people’s feelings.
A weight loss journey is often fraught with mistakes. I made dozens of them – not only during my last weight loss attempt – but during my other 100 attempts.
I cheated on my diet, I binged, I regained lost weight, I didn’t exercise, I ate candy all day long, I made excuses to myself, etc.
But as hard as it is to think about all the mistakes I made along the way, it is good to know that I learned something from those mistakes. Granted I repeated the same mistakes over and over again, but finally, the lesson got into my stubborn head and I stopped repeating the same mistake over and over again.
It took a long time though. I went on so many diets it isn’t even funny, and cheated my way through all of them. (Hence the reason diets don’t really work – because if you feel like you are cheating, then how will you live life with real food? – That’s another post!) And after I cheated I felt guilty, and I generally felt so guilty that I’d quit whatever diet I was supposed to be on. This happened time after time.
Eventually, during my last weight loss attempt I realized that just as I had learned from mistakes in my “regular” life – I needed to look at those weight loss mistakes as a learning experience rather than a reason to quit. A learning experience can be positive in the long run, even though it may feel painful at the time. That’s how it was for me.
♦It was painful to see the scale jump up when I overindulged in food that I had no business eating. But I learned that if I quit right then the scale would never go back down.
♦It was painful when my clothes got tighter rather than looser, but again, I didn’t quit.
♦It was painful when I felt out of control at times, but I learned that those feelings were just part of who I was, and learned to put some strategies in place to avoid making mistakes when emotions struck hard.
Mistakes aren’t always fun, but they are a fact of life. I think the importance of learning from our mistakes cannot be stated enough.
Learn, let go, and move on. If you try and think of mistakes with these three words, then you may be less apt to let a mistake cause you to quit trying.
How do you feel about learning from your mistakes? Hard to do? Diane
I do try to learn from my mistakes. And I’ve also made a lot of them. Sometimes it’s really really hard but we do HAVE to keep trying because otherwise things will never change for the better.
Good thing I’m stubborn!
.-= Diana´s last blog ..The 80’s and 90’s. =-.
I’ve learned so much and still learning, I dont think we ever get to the stage where we have nothing more to learn.
I learned today that mushrooms, tomato’s, nuts and soy are bad for my condition…not forgetting products with aspartame in it.
.-= Marcelle´s last blog ..Thursday’s chitter chatter…. =-.
Learning from mistakes is a really good point (I tend to get paralyzed from them). Even recognizing them is a really big step. I think as a group we tend to be pretty stubborn. . .
.-= vickie´s last blog ..No scales for me on the medical merry go round =-.
That’s the worst way to learn! (But, alas, also the most effective.) I think all of my mistakes have taught me just how important it is to take my health seriously. I’m not invincible so I shouldn’t act like I am.
.-= Tracey @ I’m Not Superhuman´s last blog ..6 Bad Ideas =-.
You said it Diane – learn, let it go & MOVE ON! Could not have said it better! People have trouble with the let it go & move on but that is a must!
.-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..When Being Thin Goes Wrong =-.
I agree that letting go and moving on is the best way to deal with a mistake, that doesn’t make it less hard though!
.-= Lauren @ Eater not a runner´s last blog ..headache-y =-.
Mistakes are beautiful things ! They show you in uncertain terms the exact relationship between cause and effect without theoretical smoke and mirrors. Each of us has a unique make up , and it is through trial and error and mistakes that we learn exactly what that make up is and how it works. Mistakes are one part of the journey that no one should miss, because through them we make real achievements long term.
.-= Diane´s last blog ..Bad day =-.
Great timing since I am learning from my recent mistakes and hoping not to repeat them. In the past, I did not learn well from dieting mistakes… thus my yo-yo years. But I think I have now figured out a lot about myself and eating and while I am still slipping up, I hope that I am applying what I learn and can become a maintainer for life:)
.-= Karen@WaistingTime´s last blog ..The Sighs of my Thighs =-.
It’s so good to hear these truths, it really helps me to not be blind-sided by things I don’t expect and don’t really understand. Your posts help me to prepare myself by being reminded how important it is to do things like getting back on that train, mistakes and all.
.-= Katie´s last blog ..Alternative Homes =-.
Good post, Diane. Lots of honest-to-God truths sprinkled throughout there.
Speaking of mistakes, I’d better go start my taxes…
.-= Jack Sh*t, Gettin’ Fit´s last blog ..A Radish By Any Other Name… =-.
Funny, as an in-shape person, who has been at this for 35 years, I sometimes create mistakes — purposefully, as a means of remembering and staying connected to the struggle that my clients face, and that I faced during my 3-year heavy window. I am glad for every mistake I have ever made in my entire life — they are the mile markers of my character.
.-= Emergefit´s last blog ..If we’re not listening, we won’t hear it… =-.
I tell myself that making mistakes is Human. I agree with the “Move on.” philosophy.
I still have periods where I feel out of control…. I would be interested in your strategies for working through that.
When I look back on my life I realize that I learned the most during the times when I made the biggest mistakes. Yes, they were painful and led to consequences I would have rather not had to deal with, but in the end, I grew as a person…you can’t put a price on that type of learning experience. Great post, Diane. I’m going to reflect on how I can apply this to my weight loss struggles.
.-= josie´s last blog ..Learning to Accept: My Hands =-.
When I mess up, I try to analyze what I did, what motivated me to do that, and how I could avoid it in the future. It’s helped a lot! Doing that has helped me look at mistakes as learning experiences and removed much of the guilt I used to feel about doing something wrong. Guilt is totally not useful!
.-= Quix´s last blog ..Beating the Horse =-.
Learning from mistakes kept me going. I didn’t want to be a quitter this time. I wanted to last the distance so I kept going even through the mistakes and disappointments. And now when I make mistakes I rebound much better since I know I can learn from them.
Quitting makes whatever mistakes you’ve made or in the process of making permanent.
Weight loss and eventually manitence needs to be a lifestyle with daily renewal EVERY DAY!
Never quit on your self or give up keep going you’r so worth the effort!
.-= Susan´s last blog ..If Its Not Broke Don’t Fix It! =-.
I think learning from your mistakes is what lifes all about.
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..Stress =-.
Funny how a mistake only becomes a mistake in hindsight. Otherwise, it is self sabotoge. If it’s a true mistake then it is easy to forgive. No one can foresee the future!
I have two older sisters, and I remember from a very young age to learn from THEIR mistakes! I vowed never to repeat some of the things they did as teenagers. On the other hand, learning from MY OWN mistakes is a lot harder!!!
.-= Carla´s last blog ..Re-evaluating my goal weight =-.
Timely reminder! I have some malted milk eggs that didn’t get hidden with the other candy… MISTAKE!
.-= Larkspur´s last blog ..Bullet List =-.
Learning from mistakes can be very hard, but I’m finding that I appreciate the mistakes I’ve made this past year because they are laying out a foundation for the new ending I’m working on.
.-= Leah´s last blog ..Weigh-In … Getttin With It Update #3 =-.