Thank you very much.
I've gone my whole life feeling awful about so-called mistakes I've made — primarily because other people blatantly point them out and I was more of a sensitive soul.
But I've grown to know that my mistakes are mine to make, and in them, I find layers of growth, lessons that cannot be handed to me or explained fully by anyone else.
Mistakes are personal - in them we can find ways to do better, to get better at what we do. It has always been a part of growth. You don't see babies get up and start walking without ever falling. It takes several tries and practice. We can claim our mistakes and let no one take them from us or make us feel bad about them.
We can acknowledge our mistakes and use them as moments where we get to know ourselves better, deeper, and more authentically. When we stumble, it's not a sign of failure but a sign of movement — of being brave enough to live outside of perfection.
In a world that tries to correct us before we even act, there's power in owning our missteps.
I've learned that advice can only go so far. It's not until I've personally walked the path, felt the sting of the fall, and dusted myself off that I fully understand the depth of the journey. There's something sacred about the experience of making a mistake that no one else can feel or explain. It's uniquely mine.
Others might try to shield me from those moments, offering well-meaning cautionary tales, but the beauty of living lies in the freedom to make decisions—even wrong ones. There's a quiet rebellion in refusing to let fear dictate my choices, a willingness to lean into the uncertainty. And when I emerge from the other side, I come out with more than just answers. I come out with wisdom. That wisdom doesn't come from avoiding mistakes but from making them and making them mine.
Every mistake I've made shapes the person I'm becoming. They're like brushstrokes on a canvas, some messy and uneven, but essential to the larger picture. And as an artist, it can take many mistakes, trials and errors, to get to even the most beautiful piece of art. So let your mistakes be part of your creation of a beautiful art piece.
