Do you Chuckle or Chastise when you Make a Mistake?

Or when others make a mistake too?

This question arose when I got home from our weekly shopping trip on Friday.

A shopping expedition in the rural area where we live involves borrowing the neighbor’s vehicle, paying the fuel, and setting out on a journey that requires clear planning and execution. (I write everything down in my trusty notebook.)

I can’t rectify any oversight by jumping into our non-existent car and trotting off down 8 kilometers of stony dirt road, followed by a round trip to the small shopping center, the farm stall for fresh veggies and returning home. Any mistakes, and I need to wait another week to correct it.

We are creatures of habit and when something arises that breaks the routine, our concentration goes out the window as the cortisol pumps. As we spin in that vortex, our cognitive functioning flounders.

This is what happened

At the grocery store, the teller had finished tallying my purchase when I remembered I needed AA batteries (not on my list — my bad) and she pointed out where they were on display nearby. There was a queue forming behind me so I wanted to hurry and not keep other customers waiting. There were no prices on the damn things, I was burning with frustration, grabbed a pack of 4 and asked the floor supervisor the price. I paid for my purchases; we completed our round trip and arrived home.

Unpacking my purchases, I discovered I’d bought the wrong size — AAA’s. A split second later I realized I hadn’t presented my loyalty card for special prices, nor had I requested my pensioner’s discount. All because I didn’t want to hold up others, this cocktail of stress dissolved my routine.

How did I react?

I laughed.

I could step back and observe my behavior at the till and accepted that we sometimes make mistakes. I couldn’t travel back in time and fix it. I chuckled as I told hubby my sad but funny story.

The old me would have started a rant about “How could I be so stupid?” with concomitant stamping of feet, perhaps throwing my handbag on the couch and being obnoxious and unkind to myself. (With a few strong swear words thrown into the mix.)

Being angry solves nothing. It drains precious energy.

Navigating Life

Being angry with others when they err also serves no purpose.

I’m not suggesting you laugh at someone else’s mistakes, that would be unkind, but if we can laugh at our own imperfections, we are well on the way to developing our compassion and forgiveness of others when they make a mistake.

Because we know it happens to us too.

I’ll choose chuckle over chastise every time. Wouldn’t you?