Now the bruise is a visual reminder that “I made a mistake.” That I did something “wrong.” As a righty, the soreness sharply reminds me of this every time I grasp my pen to write something down or pick something up to complete my daily tasks. It’s easy to focus on this outcome of my miscalculated exit out of the house. If I do, it brings me straight back to incorrect thinking.

You see, I used to think there was something inherently wrong with me as if I was broken at birth. I always strived to do better, to be better, and to seek validation and approval for my efforts…