Everyone fails at life in some way or another, possibly in several ways. Still, when it happens, you might feel like the worst or only failure on the planet, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and low self-esteem. When judging yourself by your failures, consider the following for a more realistic assessment of who you really are, and to hopefully start to feel a little bit better about yourself.

Evaluate Your Actions

Try to figure out why you took the steps that you did and how they led to your sense of failure. Did you intentionally do something devious or was your failure a result of an honest mistake?

If intentional, make a commitment to recognize the warning signs of failure and avoid it. If the latter, be more careful in the future. Either way, think about how you could handle a similar situation next time to avoid a negative outcome.

Remember the Positives

There are probably positive aspects of your life that need to be considered. For example, maybe your intentions are good, but you’ve been doing something the wrong way. Maybe you want to be more productive or successful but feel inadequate or held back.

As a role model, read about the Proverbs virtuous woman in the Bible, found in Proverbs 31. Although married and a mother, the Proverbs 31 woman found ways to provide for her assistants/servants as well as her family. In a patriarchal society, she didn’t let gender bias hold her back.

Think about how you can utilize your strengths while overcoming weaknesses to help others as well as meet personal goals. See the good in yourself and the ways that you can utilize that to improve yourself and the world around you.

Deal with Mistakes and Limits

If you have made a mistake or been judged as a failure by others due to limitations in your life, don’t be discouraged. Evaluate your weaknesses and decide how to deal with them. Examine limits in your life and find ways to breach them legitimately and ethically. There are some circumstances that will be out of your control, which others may perceive as negative. This may include your job status, housing situation, or difficult family relationships. However, only you have the whole perspective on these things and what you can control them. Don’t let real or imagined failure hold you back.

Build Your Strengths

As you reevaluate your goals and decide the next steps, focus on your strengths while overcoming any weaknesses. Decide what you want to accomplish and develop a plan to do it. Have faith that you are human like everyone else, and you are capable of accomplishing almost anything you set your mind to do.

We all feel like a failure at times. But to put it in perspective, you undoubtedly have many great qualities that balance or even overshadow any weaknesses. Remember that you don’t need to define yourself by your failures in life. Continue to believe in yourself, and your self-confidence will grow.