However, I can see beauty in this phrase as well. There are those who accept the mistakes that they’ve made. They take a look at what occurred, the mistake, the pain, the heartache and they embrace it all. They allow themselves to feel it all and then from there they learn. They see what went wrong and make note of not repeating the same mistake. They feel the pain of consequence, but they also feel hope. They move forward without regret, not wishing it did not occur, but understanding how much the experience helped them gain greater insight.

So, the question is, “which one are you?”

Life is not about having no regrets; life is about repentance.

At the core of the word repentance is change. It’s an understanding that though a mistake was made you can learn, grow, and become who you are meant to become. You can change, accepting past mistakes as stepping stones to your divine purpose. Your mistakes are meant to be learned from, not pushed aside, and not stuffed down into your unconscious, but to be embraced as you see the beauty in the imperfection. Embraced as you feel a greater empathy for those who have both gone before and who follow you in their mistakes.

Your story is important. It matters. All of it, even the parts that are most difficult to accept.

Live your life with repentance. It is a beautiful gift that the Savior has given us. With His help we can gain a clearer perspective of how we can learn from past experiences and mistakes. With His help we can gain the strength to move forward, inspiring others in the process.

For more thoughts on this subject you can view the affirmation videos for, “My Mistakes Do Not Define Me,” here. In these videos I talk about how to not let your mistakes hold you back (define you), and how to use them as tools to learn from, grow, and inspire. You can also view the affirmation videos for, “My Experiences Have Led Me To Where I Am Now, Ready To Live Life The Way That I Desire,” here. In these I discuss how our experiences are stepping stones to who you are becoming.