Progress Not Perfection – Admitting When I’m Wrong
For
the first 45 years of my existence I was never wrong. I couldn’t even say the
word. It would be like admitting defeat. On a rare occasion I would admit to
being less right than I originally thought, but never wrong. My ego got in the way. I thought I knew how to fix everything and
everyone – particularly those closest to me. It was the hubris of a young woman
in a dysfunctional relationship with an addict. If he would only listen to me,
everything would be great. But that
hubris carried over into every aspect of my life, affected my relationships
with friends and coworkers, and caused me to make some unfortunate decisions.
Fortunately,
the tools I used to in my recovery from my association with the disease of
alcoholism, which included Al- Anon, yoga, meditation and Doreen Virtue’s
books, lead me on a path of self-discovery and personal growth that has caused
me to reexamine my attitudes and make changes that led me to peace and
serenity. One of the greatest gifts was being able to admit when I am
wrong. It has been liberating to be able
to admit to another “I was wrong”. This gift has helped me with my marriage,
relationships with friends and coworkers and my employer. Accepting
responsibility for mistakes or errors in judgment is liberating.
But
as with all things in life, this is a journey. There are ups and downs. As one
who is opinionated on myriad issues and avidly shares those opinions, there are
occasions when my exuberance and need to be right can interfere with courtesy. And there are times when I still resist
admitting when I am wrong. But the fact that I can admit it at all to anyone is
growth. Fortunately, I’ve learned that I
cannot change my attitudes and behaviors overnight. It is a process. And as
long as I continue to make progress on my path, I’m ok with it. And I am
grateful for my friends, relatives, coworkers and acquaintances that can accept
me as I am.
Namaste.
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