Introduction 2

Keep your emotions in check. When we make a mistake it is easy to get frustrated, overwhelmed, or give up altogether. If you are feeling overly emotional or stressed, take a break. It won't benefit you to try to fix your mistake if your emotions are heightened.
Cope. Focus on ways of coping with negative emotions that may make you feel better. Think about ways you have coped with making mistakes in the past. Identify ways you have coped well and ways you coped that made you feel worse.

• Some common coping strategies for dealing with mistakes include: positive self-talk (saying nice things about yourself), exercise, and relaxing activities such as reading or playing a game.

  
  

• Some unhelpful ways of coping with mistakes include engaging in self-destructive behaviors such as: using alcohol or other substances, harming the self physically, ruminating, and thinking negatively about the self.

  
  

Communicating Effectively

Be assertive. Using assertive communication skills means saying how you think and feel in a respectful and appropriate way.[9] When you are assertive, you admit when you are wrong and take ownership of your personal faults. You do not blame others for your mistakes.

• Avoid passivity, which involves avoiding talking about it, hiding, going along with what everyone wants you to do, and not standing up for yourself.

  
  

• Do not be aggressive, including: raising your voice, yelling, belittling, cursing, and violent behaviors (throwing things, hitting).

  
  

• Avoid being passive-aggressive. This is a mix between passive and aggressive forms of communication where you may be upset but not be forthcoming with your feelings. Therefore, you may do something behind someone’s back to get revenge or give them the silent treatment. This is not the best form of communication and the person may not understand what you are trying to communicate or why.

  
  

• Send positive nonverbal messages. Our nonverbal communication sends messages to the people around us. A smile says, “Hey, I should be frowning, but I can be brave and get through this thing."