“I didn’t know.”
“I made a mistake.”
“I tried and failed.”
“I was wrong.”
“I apologize.”
For all but the most egregious transgressions, most statements like those refer to something that happened in a comparatively brief period of time. Maybe even in an instant.
But the learning, growth, and resilience that those moments serve up on the other side can last a lifetime.
If you’re dealing with a brief negative, do what it takes to turn it into a long positive.