Second chances: are they really worth it?

Ever heard of the saying: Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me? Ever think maybe that isn’ really the case?

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about giving people a chance and trust me I have not always been that way. I have been guilty of letting other people’s opinions cloud my mind and make myself doubt what I truly wanted and it is never a good idea. Don’t get me wrong, it is important to take the advice of the people you trust because most of the time they actually are right. But, if you let your life be guided and steered by other people, are you really living? I am a firm believer in the saying: if you never try, you will never know. I believe everything happens for some reason and the goal is to find that reason no matter how hard it is.

If you’re torn between taking the leap of faith and trusting what you want or backing away from the ledge because it is too risky, take the leap. Even if it goes wrong or you get hurt, there is always a something to be learned from every jump and if you don’t do it, you will spend your life wishing you did. I know, it is hard when you have been hurt before but sometimes you have to risk it. You may think it was the wrong decision after the fact or feel stupid because you took a chance but don’t because you did it: you took a chance.

So what about this whole idea of second chances? Giving someone who hurt you or wronged you another chance really is the highest cliff you can jump off of when it comes to taking that leap. It is also the hardest because that decision really is one of the only decisions that you have to make 100% on your own. No one will understand why because they don’t understand your head or your heart. They don’t know know how you felt when you were broken and they don’t know what you need to put yourself together again. If you give it enough time, you will find a way to get back to where you were, and sometimes that way is forgiveness.

I have witnessed so many people give people they love chance after chance after chance. I will never understand why but it is not my place to and I don’t think it is anyone else’s either. If there is one thing I have learned over time, it is that no one on this earth has the power to fully change another human being. The only way someone is going to change is if they want to change and that is how you have to leave it.

My best friend told me the other day that she is going to try to see the good in everybody from now on and she inspired me to do the same. Everyone has good in them, sometimes it is just buried very deep down and they need that one person who is going to stick with them time and time again to unbury it.

So trust your gut and try not to lose faith in people. We all make mistakes, we all have reputations and opinions to deal with. Would you really want someone basing whether or not they will take a chance on you off of what someone who barely knows you says? There is two sides to everything, make sure you are open to them both before making any decisions. And for the people who are getting that second chance, try to understand how much strength it took that person to give it to you.