I don't know about you, but I've made quite a few mistakes in my life. Once as a little girl, I begged my mom to buy this certain brand of cereal, for me to just turn around and refuse to eat it. Another time, I was having a sleepover with my friends at my house while my parents were out of town. I let my dog outside, but I forgot to let him back inside (I know, I'm terrible, I'm sorry mom). He spent the entire night outside until I realized it the next morning. These things seem so small and insignificant in comparison to the other major whoppers I've had in my life. These are just the tip of the iceberg.

We've all made mistakes at some point in our lives and there is absolutely no denying it. Perhaps it was an accident, like me forgetting my poor puppy outside. Or maybe it was something super intentional at the time, that you later regretted. I can almost guarantee that each of us have made a huge mistake that we wish we could forget about. You know, the one thing you did that makes you sick to your stomach when you think about it. The one thing that you've never told a single soul about, and you're taking that secret to the grave, right?

Well, let me tell you something. Those things, those decisions and mistakes, whether they be accidental or intentional? They do not define you. That's right, I said it. They DO NOT define you.

My family really likes to say "It is what it is" and lately I've started to realize how true that is. You can't turn back time and undo things. You can't take back words that you've said or actions you've done. So if we can't change the past, what's the point in worrying about it? I've hurt people close to me, and I've pushed people away that really cared about me. I'm a strong believer that everything happens for a reason. That reason might be that I made a bad choice and messed up, but it's ultimately a reason.

I think the most important thing about mistakes is that you learn something from them. If you can avoid making the same mistake twice, and you can learn something from it, then I think you're doing pretty good. This is the realization that I've been coming to terms with for the past few weeks. Humans have this cool ability to change who they are and to build themselves into a better person than they were yesterday. I am not the same girl I was yesterday, let alone five years ago. The mistakes I made in the past happened, and I can't take them back. I still have some that I won't tell anyone about, but it doesn't mean that I don't accept them.

No one said I was going to be perfect. No one said I wasn't going to hurt people who love me. Life didn't come with an instruction book. All I can hope for is that people will take me and love me as I am, mistakes and all. If not, then I guess I don't need them in my life anyway. I am perfectly imperfect just like everyone else in this crazy world, and I am human.

I am a lot of things, but I am not my mistakes.