Have you ever made a mistake so bad that the only thing you can think about is how to fix it?
Have you ever made a mistake that you regret so much that it consumes every single space in your mind?
Have you everade a mistake that fills you with so much remorse, that the only thing you want to do is beg for forgiveness until it's been forgotten about?
Have you ever made a mistake that you feel so much fear about that it fills you with dread and anxiety, that remains from the moment the mistake is made until the moment it is rectified, or at least comes to some sort of resolution?
I guess the best way to handle such a mistake is to better yourself in such a way that ensures you won't make a mistake like that ever again.
Come to terms with the fact that it happened. Acknowledge it, and accept that you were wrong. You can't fix a mistake until you do that first.
Accept the fact that the mistake happened. You cannot reverse time or change the past, nor can you erase a mistake from your timeline. It happened, and there is a lesson to be learned from it.
Radically accept the possibility that the mistake was bad enough that it can't be completely fixed, and that things may not go back to normal after it has passed. Gluing together a broken glass won't repair its cracks.
Apologise. Never leave a mistake unapologised for. And once you have done so, step back and use that time to prove that you meant your apology.
If you want the affected to forgive you, you have to forgive yourself as well. You are human. Humans make mistakes. Humans do things that they regret. It is a part of life.
Understand that the affected is not obligated to forgive you. Perhaps they have decided that you hurt them enough that they don't want you in your life anymore.
Do not give up hope until hope disappears in front of your eyes. You can't predict a person's decisions or actions, no matter how well you know them. You won't know if they will forgive you or not until they do.
Be patient. When a mistake you made hurts another, it will take time for the wounds you caused to heal. Do not rush their recovery. Let them process what happened and the feelings you caused in their own time.
Work on bettering yourself. Learn to change your language. Radicalise yourself and step into zones of discomfort to fix yourself. Do better, be better. Do it for the benefit the affected.
Give your apology justification. Use the recovery period after your mistake to self reflect and see where you went wrong. Use that negative energy to adjust and repair the parts of yourself that caused your mistake.
Be sensitive and sincere. Approach the affected with empathy. Understand that what you did hurt them. Understand how it hurt them. Understand why it hurt them. Then make amends.
Be humble, and don't over-apologise. You don't need to grovel. You don't need to self-punish. Your open self-hatred may come across as guilt-tripping. Let your actions speak for your shame, rather than an overuse of words.
Do what you can to help the affected, but give them their space. Let them speak. Listen to them. Their feelings are just as valid and important as yours are.
Know within your heart and within your wise mind that mistakes always resolve. Sometimes they resolve badly. Sometimes you will not receive closure. Sometimes, the resolution is open-ended. But it will always resolve. And when it does resolve, give yourself permission to move on. Loosen the reins and walk forward.
There are so many rules for making up for a mistake, but they are important. Apologise, ask forgiveness, forgive yourself, be patient, better yourself. Make amends for your errors and prove the sincerity of your apology. If you've done everything right, and it was still not enough, accept the fact that this is the end and take solace in the knowledge that you tried.
