Using Our Fuckups To Be Hugely Successful

I’ve fucked up! I’ve made a mistake after mistake and some more than twice. It’s all okay. It happens. We all make errors in judgment and misstep in our lives. Sometimes, those errors cause us to learn, even if it is the hard way to be more successful and happy.

We might make decisions based on what we thought was true only to find out later it wasn’t. The mess-ups aren’t the issue unless we don’t learn from them. Here are quick tips that will help you make the best of your worst fuck-ups of all time:

1. Do one thing at a time. We can be overwhelmed by deadlines if we attempt to do everything at once. Pick the highest priority and complete that one task first. Finish the most important item then move to the next top priority. Science has proven that multitasking not only causes us to make errors, slow us down, cause depression but also negatively affects the brain.
2. Don’t waste money. One of the biggest nick nacks we can make is to spend money foolishly. Successful, wealthy people are careful with their money. One of my favorite places to shop is the Dollar Store. Gift wrap, cards, toiletries and cleaning agents can be a huge drain on our budget. You would be surprised at home many wealthy; savvy people shop at thrift stores and the Dollar Store. Only buy what you need so that you don’t waste money.
3. Disappointment may be your best friend. When a situation doesn’t turn out the way we hoped, we can move into surrender. When we do let go then ask for help the universe has room to assist and create something far better than we ever could alone. Surrendering our ego and allowing help to come to us can change our lives quickly for the better.
4. Make a list. A daily to-do list can keep us on track and prevent us from going down a rabbit hole of social media when we don’t have the time to do so. Stick to your list and cross off completed items. Create a new list so you wake up knowing what you have to do.
5. Don’t shop when you are hungry. Grocery shopping without a budget in mind can be our biggest expense of the month. Shopping when we are hungry will cause us to impulse purchase a big bag of potato chips or baked goods when we are supposed to be eating healthy. We might even spend double our intended budget if we shop at mealtime.
6. Don’t shop when you have nothing to do. Recreational shopping can mean spending money you never intended to. I remember one such recreational shopping expedition with my then husband when we bought a $4,000 piano.
7. Leave your kids at home if possible when you have errands to run. Taking our children to run errands can be costly. A quick trip to the grocery store could mean lunch, drinks and a toy that you never intended to buy.
8. Read the fine print. Sometimes you only need to send in a payment and not get your car smogged. Check before you jump in your car to run around.
9. Use weekly markers like trash day to clean out your refrigerator of spoiled food and clean out the litter box. At least it will be done once a week.
10. Mistakes aren’t the end of the world. If you make a mistake once, pick yourself up look at what happened and encourage yourself to not do it again. Take steps to change your behavior so you don’t repeat the behavior.
11. Are you a repeater? If you like me, repeat the same mistake again and again, it’s time to examine what was going on in your pretty little head that caused the issue. Take brain supporting tonics or vitamins so that your brain functions at a higher level. Maybe you aren’t getting enough B vitamins or protein. Maybe you lack fat? Our brain is 60% fat if we are on a diet that is completely void of fat it could be causing some synapse issues. I love Maharishi Ayurveda products because they are balanced, herbs are picked at the best time in the moon cycle.
12. Witness your reactivity. When issues come up with friends and loved ones take the time to be introspective. Look at the situation without emotion if you can. Breathe and clear your head, then offer an apology first before telling someone else what an ass they were, for some reason it doesn’t go over very well. When we take responsibility for our part the other person feels vindicated and lets go of their grip on being wronged.
13. Wanting to be right can lead us down a very long and lonely path. Let go of the need to be right.
14. Watch your first reaction. Do you tend to go to the dark because your family was negative? Be careful to witness reactivity and unconscious negativity. Maybe you like me have to double check before sending that text than inflames the situation.
15. Watch what successful people do. We don’t have to recreate the wheel to be successful. Model successful people’s behavior that works for you. Not everything that others do will work for us, take what you need and leave the rest.
16. Recognize some people are anchors and some are sails. Not everyone in your life will be a true friend. Use the anchor or sail test to see which they are. Do they support you and bolster you, or do they criticize and bring you down?
17. Don’t compare yourself to others. The biggest mistake I ever made was to compare myself to another person. When we compare ourselves, we never feel we measure up. There is only one of you. No one is going to do what you do, have your talents or gifts. So why compare yourself it only makes you feel small and inadequate when we are already enough.
18. We can’t save anyone who doesn’t want to be. Recognize that everyone has a personal experience; unique to themselves. We can’t protect others from making mistakes any more than we can stop doing things the hard way so that we can learn.
19. The only one we can change is us. We can spend a lifetime worrying about others, including our children. All the advice in the world won’t change anyone else. The only one ultimately we can change is ourselves. Focusing on what everyone else is doing diminishes us. When we become introspective, we focus on what we are doing, thinking or feeling we are in the right ball park. Self-acceptance is the key to success.
20. Simplify wherever possible. The less stuff we have, the happier we are. The less we have, the cleaner we live, the more freedom we experience. When we have collections of nicknacks and too much furniture we can feel like we are drowning or choking in our homes. We need space around us to feel inspired.  When we cram belongings into every corner of our environment, we can feel stifled and even depressed. Space and a zen-like home will give you breathing room and a sense of ease.
21. Smile and wave! The penguins in the movie Madagascar Escape To Africa always make me laugh. No matter what is going on a smile and a wave can make us feel better.

The biggest lesson of all is that our mistakes give us pause. Like in American football when we step back and punt, we have a new opportunity for a win!

When we feel disappointment because something didn’t work the way we expected we have a chance to let go and surrender. When we surrender our ego and allow a higher power to help us a disaster can turn into the greatest benefit, we have ever had. When we ask for help from the universe, we allow Grace to move in and miracles to happen.