ZORA Check-In
Checking In: We Take L’s, but We Keep Moving
“I can’t pay a person to rewind time, so I may as well get over it.” — Serena Williams, world-renown tennis player, fashion designer, and investor
Two years ago, after picking up dinner from a fast-casual cafe on my way home from work, I accidentally put my wallet in the plastic takeout bag that wound up down my apartment building’s trash shoot. To make matters worse, I had a flight the next morning. I was headed on a business trip to Phoenix but planned to spend the first two days in nearby Sedona to de-stress from a very hectic work environment. Upon discovering the mistake while I was packing, I sank into a chair and cried. I was horrified that my schedule and plans were upended. Not to mention all the replacements I would need. A visit to the DMV for a new license? I cried some more as my panic turned into anger. I could barely sleep that night.
The next morning, after my building super said he didn’t spot the takeout bag while preparing the trash for collection, I returned to my couch and gave myself a pep talk. The pity party and sulking I granted myself had to conclude if I was going to get on with the rest of my week (thankfully I could use my passport as an ID) and make it to the conference. I reminded myself: We take L’s, but we gotta keep moving. It was time to shift and recover, even if it meant no Sedona.
Mistakes happen. But we can’t be consumed by the replay and rage of our errors. Take a moment to lament, and then move on. — Christina M. Tapper, ZORA deputy editor
ZORA fam, what was a recent mistake you made, and how did you move past it? Let us know. #ZORACheckIn
