Have you ever noticed how defensive people become when they’re “wrong”? Why is it that some people struggle to own their mistakes or recognize their faults? Here’s some food for thought from @guywinch: “The answer is related to their ego, their very sense of self. Some people have such a fragile ego, such brittle self-esteem, such a weak psychological constitution, that admitting they made a mistake or that they were wrong is fundamentally too threatening for their egos to tolerate. Accepting they were wrong, absorbing that reality, would be so psychologically shattering that their defense mechanisms do something remarkable to avoid it—they literally distort their perception of reality to make it (reality) less threatening. Their defense mechanisms protect their fragile ego by changing the very facts in their mind, so they are no longer wrong or culpable.”
The irony is that our resistance to admitting mistakes actually holds us back from growth and authentic connection. When we can recognize our faults, apologize, and learn from them, we strengthen ourselves and our relationships. Humility isn’t a sign of weakness but of courage and resilience. We don’t have to see every mistake as a threat to our worth—instead, we can view it as a path to becoming wiser and more compassionate. Owning our actions, even the messy ones, frees us to live honestly, and that’s a strength everyone can admire.
The Wild Gems 