Learning from our mistakes isn’t as easy as we think. If it were, we would never repeat or make another mistake.

I believe for us to learn from our mistakes, we must first admit we make them. Easy to say, not so easy to do. But as soon as we begin to accept that we make mistakes, the learning process can begin.

If we blame others then automatically distance ourselves from any possible responsibility or lessons, we will never learn. When we spend too much time obsessing over our mistakes, we will inevitably go on to make new ones.

We should:

  • Always accept responsibility for our mistakes; that way we’re more likely to avoid making new ones;
  • Try and understand why and what factors were involved in the decision process;
  • Make sure we have all the facts in front of us;
  • Follow our own gut feeling on any decisions and don’t question ourselves;
  • Try and change any patterns that contribute to mistakes being made.

Through my own spiritual beliefs and based on my understanding, I have learned that mistakes are lessons in disguise, but we must put in the necessary work to learn from them.

Ilana Estelle is a mental health and wellbeing advocate who combines educational insight with her personal experience of living with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. She holds diplomas in Counselling, Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Therapy, Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Stress Management. Through her writing, Ilana supports others in navigating their emotional, mental, and physical health challenges. In addition to writing for The CP Diary, her work has appeared in healthy lifestyle magazines. Ilana is also the author of three books: Cerebral Palsy: A Story – Finding the Calm After the Storm, Spirituality, Healing and Me, and Survival: The Covid Years – Time for Change.

Most people who read this blog

went on to read these blogs next
Date 26 July 2026
Author Ilana Estelle

Living with Difference

Seen, Misjudged, Rarely Understood For most of my life, I lived in the dark. Not because I didn't know I was different, but because I didn't yet have the understanding to explain why life always felt harder than it seemed to be ...
Read more
Date 24 July 2026
Author Ilana Estelle

The Hidden Effects of Loss

Some consequences aren't immediate, they're cumulative It's five months into four years through twin loss, and I've split another tooth. On its own, it's an ordinary event. But it's an event that made me stop and look back ...
Read more
Date 19 July 2026
Author Ilana Estelle

What Writing Taught Me About Self-Understanding

How writing became more than a creative outlet When I started writing, I had no idea where it would lead. I simply needed somewhere to put my thoughts – a place to make sense of experiences I struggled to understand ...
Read more
1 2 3 681

6 comments on “How to learn from our mistakes”

  1. Good points; especially the one about others intervening. I think we should listen to our own feelings on certain issues and only intervene when asked.

    1. I totally agree Lisa. We get ourselves into so much more trouble when we take advice from others, which isn't what we would want for ourselves. That's when we're more likely to make mistakes.

  2. Mistakes serve no purpose if we don't learn from them. Learn, move on and don't repeat the mistake twice.

    I remember telling this to a work colleague a while ago who had got himself into financial difficulties because of his lies and I felt like I was a parent lecturing a child at the time.

    He understood exactly what I was saying and i learned only yesterday that he is now in a bigger financial mess than before. So much for learning.

    1. I think your response is slightly different. We spiral into these kind of patterns because we run from the truth.

      Your colleague's mistake is not admitting he has a problem and continuing to run with it.

  3. Some very good points here. I believe sometimes self worth factors come into play in us making mistakes, in my own case any way.

    Learning from mistakes is not always easy, but it can be done. It all takes effort.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to receive regular updates

Enter your details below to be the first to receive updates on new articles on my blog.