Punish yourself once, then move on from the mistake
from The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz
Our beliefs are conditioned by punishment. Whenever we do something wrong, we punish ourselves so as to reinforce the mistake. This is true for all animals of this world. However, we humans take it one step further and punish ourselves over and over again every time we are reminded of the mistake. This is extremely unfair to us, as it causes suffering and decreases our happiness.
How to Apply This
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Recognize that being punished once for a mistake is sufficient.
Don’t allow yourself to spiral into a state of negativity and guilt whenever you are reminded of a mistake. -
Extend that compassion to others too!
Similarly, don’t remind others of the mistakes they’ve already paid for.
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