I don’t like rice crispy cereal marshmallow treats. No, I’m not anti-carb and I don’t have a grudge against southern PTA bake sales. It just seems like a lot of chewing and calories for minimal taste. But, last Saturday my bff opened my eyes. She intended to make crispy treats and add chocolate chips for a special surprise. Instead, she added them too early and most of the chocolate chips melted into the marshmallow mixture. The result? Chocolatey, marshmallow, deliciousness. I, for one, saw it as a happy mistake. My bff still sees it as a mess. Either way, the result was an empty dish at the end of the evening. Sadly, not all of life’s mistakes are made in the kitchen, nor do they turn out as well.
Choices to Make
In my many years of human resource experience, I have seen good employees make mistakes that appeared in the moment to be career stoppers and potentially life altering. I have watched some spiral downward in self-pity and turn to destructive behavior. I have also watched employees with exceptional character rise above the circumstances, recognizing they had a momentary lapse in judgement or distraction, and move forward to have successful careers. Life is about choices, my friend.
I have known smart, professional who women fell for men that appeared to check all of their potential mate boxes, just to learn later they were not men of integrity. Missteps happen because nobody is perfect. Forgetting to mention they are married or demonstrating manipulative and controlling behavior are show stoppers. The budding relationship may not survive, but lessons can be learned if they choose to love again.
We all make mistakes, and when we do, we have a decision to make. We don’t have to be happy about what happened, but we don’t have to dwell on it to the point it paralyzes us. What we do next determines if we will retreat or recover. Will we tie our identity to a brief moment in time or will we take the time to learn and move on?
One Smart Cookie
My bff could have tossed the crispy treats in the trash when she saw the chocolate chips melting, but instead, she accepted the mistake, followed through the best she could and faced the consequences. That is who she is, not just in baking, but in all aspects of her life. May you, too, have the courage to face own your teachable moments, rise above the circumstances and live joyfully, if not wiser, in spite of your mistakes.