The Problems You Create

I recently made a mistake. Shocking I know. But it was a pretty big one. I don't want to tell you what it was because it's embarrassing and it's sort of a taboo topic. Let's just say it may have involved my bank account, my bad math skills and my love of dresses in size 3T.

Darn you irresistibly cute dress!

This made things inconvenient, but wasn't really all that big of a deal. If a friend had told me that she made this mistake it certainly wouldn't change the way I thought about her. We are human and we all make mistakes. But unfortunately here is what went through my head:

What an idiot. How could you be this stupid? You are awful with money. You always will be. Hopeless. Irresponsible. Stupid.

Ouch. I would never talk to anyone this way, why do I think it's okay to tell these things to myself? But I do it everyday. And I think you probably do too. So let's make a promise. Let's promise to be kinder to ourselves and show ourselves the kind of forgiveness we would show others. Pinky swear?

Because you are more than the choices that you've made. You are more than the sum of your past mistakes. You are more than the problems you create.