Take Two with a Re-do

Have you ever regretted saying or doing something? I think we’ve all experienced times when we regretted our unskilled behavior.

We may say something that hurts someone’s feelings or do something that we later understand was not our best behavior. But what do we do when we notice that we feel bad and regret what we did? Do we keep it inside and try to forget about it?

Dealing with regret

Or do we shine a light on it so it becomes a teaching moment for us? As a person seeking personal development, you are on a quest to learn and improve.

So, the good thing about noticing your unskilled behavior is that you can ask for a do-over. You can apologize to the person you offended and ask for a Re-do.

Last week I had one of those moments with my husband; I was in a hurry and didn’t take the time to listen to something he was saying. I assumed in my head that I knew what he was talking about and didn’t acknowledge the value of what he was relating to me.

Taking Two with a Re–Do

A few moments later, I replayed the scene in my mind and realized my behavior was not skilled. I had taken him for granted. So that evening, I apologized and thanked him for his patience and valuable insight.

This is a great way of maintaining a clean slate with how you feel about yourself and your relationships. There will be no nagging feelings of I should have done things differently. You can take two with a re-do.

Clearing the situation as soon as you can is the best. When you notice it as it is happening, stop and ask for a re-do right in the moment. This is so powerful; it puts your mind on guard in situations where you can improve. : “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better”.

Maya Angelou has a great quote, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

Benefits of Practice

It may be difficult to start this practice initially, but it becomes second nature when you start doing it. The wonderful thing about it is that it builds trust, it reinforces your values and character.

Your relationships are positively impacted because you are now seen as a person of strength, good character, and emotional competence. It restores any trust that previous actions may have severed.

Taking two with a re-do is a great way to build long-lasting, loving, and trusting relationships.

Follow Your Nudge for a Re–Do

I know you know this, and my purpose in writing about it is that we all need reminders. In our daily routines, sometimes it is easier to move forward despite thinking, “I should call and let them know that I feel bad about what happened.”

It is better to make the call than to carry it with you as a regret or shameful episode. The way you see yourself matters, and it is important that you feel good about your actions.

Allowing yourself to take two with a re-do will help you move forward and stop beating yourself up for not acting as you would have hoped.

Creating a Great Self Image

Maxwell Maltz, the author of the bestselling book Psycho-Cybernetics, said, “You can never outperform your own self-image.”

Part of developing a good self-image is seeing yourself do things that foster good relationships. Using the tool take two with a re-do can help your self-image and relationships.

Scientific evidence shows that regret can increase stress and negatively affect physical health.

You may have already experienced shame or regret, where your feelings and reactions can lead to anxiety, depression, remorse, guilt, disappointment, and so many more negative emotions.

What better way to leave those negative emotions behind than by learning to Take-Two with a Re-Do.