Forgetting your phone is in your back pocket and dropping it in the toilet. Running over a curb and popping a tire. Locking your keys inside the house. Knocking over your coffee and spilling it all over the carpet.
Yes, these are all mistakes I have made before. In fact two of these mistakes — running over a curb and locking myself out of the house — just happened to me last week. And, with my anxious brain, I end up spiraling every time I make a mistake (especially when, because of that mistake, I have to pay for a new phone or tire). I will start thinking, "You're so stupid. You're a waste of space. How do you even function in the world? Everyone would be better off with you."
While you may think I'm being overdramatic, mental illness isn't really known for being logical. But one thing I try to do when I'm feeling this way is remind myself that these everyday mishaps happen to the best of us.
Mistakes, like dropping my phone in the toilet, don't define who I am. It's just...a wet phone. And, while it may be frustrating — and expensive — I have to practice self compassion and realize it doesn't make me a failure as a person.
There are also plenty of outside factors and life changes that can affect the amount of mistakes we make. If you are making more mistakes than usual —*raises hand* I know I am —it could be for a reason.
Why you may be making more mistakes than usual
For me, my life has recently been flipped on its head— ya know, the whole having a baby and keeping another human being alive thing. And, yes, that can definitely have a huge effect on the number of mistakes you make.
That's because the demands of caring for a baby can lead to disrupted sleep and physical exhaustion, which can impair memory, concentration, and decision-making. On top of that, I'm breastfeeding, which can burn up to 500 calories a day, which is comparable to a vigorous workout like running five miles. This energy demand, combined with hormonal shifts, can drain mental focus, which can also lead to occasional forgetfulness or lapses in judgment.
Other things that can make you more likely to make mistakes include stressful life events, hormonal shifts during pregnancy or menopause, fluctuations in cortisol and testosterone levels, and changes in medication. Dietary deficiencies, like a lack of essential nutrients such as vitamin B12 or iron, can also impair cognitive abilities.
All of these things can affect the number of mistakes you make, and none of these things make you stupid. This isn’t a reflection of a lack of capability but rather changes that may have happened in your life, such as being slammed at work, going through a break-up, losing a family member, becoming a parent, adjusting the dose of your antidepressants, and even just typical aging.
Mistakes make us human, and these moments give us stories to tell (or, in my case, gave me an idea for a blog). Mistakes also help us to learn. You better believe I've never put my phone in my pocket again when going to the bathroom — or put my phone on the edge of the bathtub (another example that ended badly for me).
If you do make a mistake more than once, that doesn't mean you should beat yourself up over that either. I am definitely guilty of spilling liquid on the floor my fair share of times (it especially hurt my soul when that liquid was breast milk I just pumped). But mistakes like these are not dangerous or life threatening — they're just inconvenient.
Remember to put things into perspective whenever you make a mistake and give yourself some grace. Life is messy for all of us, and that's okay.
Forgetting your phone is in your back pocket and dropping it in the toilet. Running over a curb and popping a tire. Locking your keys inside...
