Turn Around

Recently, I headed out to take one of our cars for service. About four miles into my trip, it dawned on me that I was driving our other car. Realizing my mistake, I stopped and sheepishly turned around to go and get the right vehicle. I suppose I could have stubbornly kept driving to my destination, but it would have cost me more time, caused me more headache, and would have taken me farther from successfully accomplishing my goal. As ludicrous as that sounds, I have actually lived that way with many choices in my life. Instead of acknowledging and accepting that I had made mistakes in decisions or actions, I doubled down in the wrong direction and made things far worse. 

At the root of many of my past struggles is the dysfunctional belief that my worth was dependent on being perfect or pleasing others. So, I often continued going in the wrong direction just so I didn’t have to face my perceived unworthiness. I have learned and continue to learn now that my value as a person is an inherent quality, not something I have to earn. And when I make mistakes or fail at some tasks, it is an integral part of being human. It is not an indictment of my worth; it is just an opportunity to learn and grow.  

Sometimes we can become aware of our errant directions on our own. However, more often than not, we may need help and perspective from others. While it can be uncomfortable or down right painful to realize that we are going down the wrong path or we are in the wrong car, the sooner we can make the necessary corrections, the sooner we can get back on track toward living a meaningful and successful life.