Why Is It So Hard to Admit Mistakes? [episode 120]
Listen to Why Is It So Hard to Admit Mistakes? on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | your platform of choice
A while back, while working with one of our young horses, my son and I found ourselves in a meaningful conversation about mistakes. We talked about how no human is immune to making them, and yet, how hard it can be to actually admit when we’ve messed up.
In today’s episode, I’m talking about why it’s so hard to admit mistakes. I truly believe our willingness (or inability) to admit mistakes has a lot to do with our nervous systems and how they were shaped early on.
If you grew up in a home where mistakes were met with grace, understanding, and direction, chances are it feels safer for you to own them now. But if mistakes were met with anger, shame, or punishment, your nervous system learned that it wasn’t safe to admit wrongdoing.
This shows up everywhere these days – especially online. Mistakes are rarely met with curiosity or compassion anymore, but with harsh judgment and public shaming.
If we genuinely want people to take responsibility (as well as ourselves), we HAVE to create safer spaces to be able to do so!
The truth is, it is SO hard to admit mistakes, and we must have safety to do so. How can you create more safety (for yourself and others) to be a human, and be okay with getting it “wrong” sometimes?
In this episode, Why Is It So Hard to Admit Mistakes?, I cover:
- How our upbringing & early nervous system wiring shape our ability to admit mistakes
- The role of modeling and imitation when we witness others deflect blame or avoid accountability
- Why today’s online culture makes admitting mistakes feel increasingly unsafe
- How to get curious when admitting a mistake feels HARD
- Ways to engage with someone who struggles to admit mistakes
- How Tom & I are modeling accountability + repair to help our kids w/admitting mistakes
Resources & Links:
- Join The Draw
- Schedule a free consult and see if 1:1 Good Movement Guidance is right for you
- Check out my merch shop
- Join the waitlist for the Good Movement Collective
- Good Movement music by: Aaron Espe
- Podcast produced by: Jill Carr Podcasting
Connect with Terryn:
- Follow on Instagram @terryn.drieling
- Check out my website
- Send me an email at terryn@terryndrieling.com
Related Episodes:
- Episode 42: What I Would Do Differently in Parenting if I Had It to Do Over Again
- Episode 83: Let Them (See You Feel): Raising Resilient Kids by Being Real in Front of Them
- Episode 84: Apologies Aren’t Weak – They’re Repair
- Episode 115: The Growing Pains of Boundaries, Help, and Working Together with Tom
More about the Good Movement Draws Good Movement podcast:
In stockmanship (the art and science of handling cattle in a safe, effective, low-stress manner), we have this phrase . . . good movement draws good movement.
It’s this thing that happens when we ask a small group of cattle, maybe a cow, or a pair to move out in a certain direction, and their movement draws the whole herd into moving in the same direction.
Good movement happens when we approach the cattle with a positive attitude, read and really listen to what they’re telling us, and communicate accordingly.
We don’t approach the aware, flighty cattle the same as we do the tame, docile cattle. We adjust ourselves, our energy, and approach, and communicate with each differently.
These adjustments help us effectively draw good movement from each, which then draws good movement from the herd. But it starts with us.
The same is true for humans. Good movement starts with us.
Welcome to Good Movement Draws Good Movement, the podcast where farmers, ranchers, and rural folks can grow relationally through awareness, understanding, and effective communication.
Hey, it’s me – T. I’m your host, and I, along with my guests, will be covering topics related to drawing good movement – things like self and social awareness, brain science, positive psychology, extending grace, and so much more.
We’ll share tools that can help you understand why you are the way you are, why others are the way they are, and how you can use that to step out of self-told lies with grace and compassion to draw good movement in conversations, relationships, and life in rural America.
Tune in every Tuesday and make sure to hit subscribe so you never miss an episode! Let’s go draw good movement!
