This month’s issue of Real Simple has a column titled “Life Lessons: 5 Mistakes Everyone Should Make” that really caught my eye. If anyone can appreciate learning more from their mistakes, it’s this girl right here. I agree with some of the 5 mistakes; some of the others I’m a little more hesitant to dive headfirst into. So, I’ve comprised a JustAChiTownGirl list of Mistakes Everyone Should Make.
1. Totally embarrass yourself.
About 2 years ago, I got to the gym one evening to find it the most packed I had ever seen it. I was living in a rather dismal town at the time, definitely pre-JustAChiTownGirl life, and thought the crowded gym could be a great opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and meet some new people. Lucky for me, there was just one treadmill left. As I hurried to snatch it up, and was mid-step on to the machine, I notice an iPhone on the treadmill dashboard. “Weird-someone must have forgotten their phone”. Instantaneously, I realize that no one forgot anything- the treadmill was still on; Its user had gone to get a drink of water. Knees hit the rotating tread, hands went down next, shoulder, left ear, until it had entirely spit me off. The whoooole gym saw me fly off the back of the treadmill. Horrified, I pulled myself to my feet in time to see this tiny blonde girl walking toward me, accusing me of trying to steal her treadmill. Yeah, I thought I’d physically and emotionally harm myself to get your treadmill, lady. I won’t even get into how negligent it was to leave a motorized device running unattended or how the entire incident felt like it lasted an hour but in real time, I was back up in my apartment in under a minute. In the end, after icing my shoulder (that seriously had rubber SKIDMARKS on it) and my pride, I came to understand that the more embarrassing the story, the more you know what you can truly get over when push comes to shove, that not much is really that big of a deal and the more ace-in-the-hole stories you have to humor your friends, the better.
2. Believe strongly, passionately in something or someone…even if you totally change your mind later.
I can name a handful of causes, beliefs and people who I have believed in with every ounce of my being. Some still hold that “Wow, this is absolutely right, this absolutely makes me feel alive and good” conviction to them; others I was flat out, face in the mud wrong about. But be it a presidential candidate or a relationship flame that died out (or was a trainwreck- insert your own bad judgement call here), I’ve found that both teach valuable lessons that can’t be found elsewhere. The ones I have been wrong about force me to examine, in a way I ordinarily would not, the why’s that went into both the belief and the “failure”, if you will, so I always learn something. As for the things, people and places I still believe in, well, it’s great to have those in your pocket as well, if only to remind you what it feels like to truly, in your belly, down to your toes BELIEVE.
3. Be totally wrong about big, major stuff and start over.
I know- coming from a 25 year old, this statement may have little weight. But I’ve been 60 since I was, like, 7, I’ve been collecting Fiestaware since I was 18 and I have been notoriously, epically afraid of failure/being wrong since the beginning of time so this goes down as one of my mistakes to make.
Be wrong. Change your mind. Change your path. Most likely, the only person who will notice or give a damn is you. And probably your parents.
I was halfway through law school when my profound unhappiness became unbearable. I was at a school I hated, in a city that despite my best efforts just never felt like home, surrounded by people who were not my people, not my tribe. I was physically sick, my therapist was practically my best friend and my lack of self-confidence was palpable. So I packed up my car and my cat. I moved to Chicago, a city I loved, a place where i had a community. I took a stand for my happiness, for my life, even though I had no idea yet where that stand was leading me. Yes, I was terrified by how leaving law school, how leaving my perfectly planned life looked to others. In the end though, my worst critic was me, the person most afraid was me. And maybe my parents were nervous for me too. But they held it together and between their support and recognizing that my perfectly planned life was not God’s Perfect Plan, well, it was the best change I’ve ever created and I could have never gotten to the life I love now without it.
4. That’s kinda of all I’ve got right this second. I’ve made mistakes in the last 25 years, learned a lot and definitely know I’m not done.
So you tell me- what mistakes should everyone make?