Here’s an exercise that prevents an enormous waste of time. Not only does it prevent a loss of your most precious commodity – time, it makes you happier, more pleasant to be around, and stay closer to reality. It has to do with how we think about our mistakes and blunders, and even more importantly, how we think others think about our mistakes or blunders.

The exercise is simply this:

Next time you make a mistake, act irresponsibly, forget something important, etc., OR do something that others could perceive as a mistake, irresponsible, forgetful, etc., choose to believe that no one is really thinking about it or have even noticed it that much, if at all.

This could be very difficult if you’re in the habit of worrying about what people think about you. But try it. Force your mind to believe that most people aren’t condemning you. The fact is that we are usually so caught up in our own worries and concerns that we don’t think much about the failures (or supposed failures) of others. We’re just too busy with our own things.

Do people judge us and condemn us sometimes? Of course, but it is much less than we usually think.

Go on. Be happy. Do your exercises.