There Are No Mistakes

Discover how to live a happier, more relaxed life even when things are terrible.
Something Eleanor Wiley has learned in twenty-five years of sobriety as a mediator, an artist, and a teacher is that there are no mistakes, only choices. For many years she tried to make her life conform to a lot of “shoulds.” Not until she got into recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous did she realize just how many “shoulds” she had been trying to follow. Along her travels, first through the Twelve Steps and now through teaching around the world, she has met many people who walk through the world in comfort. Their lives aren’t easy, they have just accepted them and approach them with a certain grace and ease. As she thought about what they had in common, she identified eleven attributes.
The eleven attributes cultivated include: 1) Know where you came from, 2) Know your story. 3) Accept yourself. 4) Own your pain, hurt, and vulnerability. 5) Laugh at yourself. 6) Find community. 7) Take care of yourself. 8) Give yourself permission to change your mind. 9) Be willing to fall apart and put yourself back together again. 10) Create a toolbox. 11) Go with the flow.
This candid and simple book is illustrated with personal stories from the author and people she has encountered on her path, along with specific and easy exercises to do at the end of each chapter. Wiley acknowledges that you won’t be perfect, and you may not be happy all the time, and you may not be rich or amazingly enlightened, but you will be okay. The thing about okay is that it’s really great—it’s about moving through the world with a sense of grace and ease.
Praise for There Are No Mistakes
“The bite-size suggestions for living fully and comfortably, regardless of your circumstances, are food for thought for anyone longing for more joy and greater inner calm. I loved the quiet spaces this book created in my mind as I sat with it. I am certain it will “call to me” again and again.” —Karen Casey, author of Let Go Now
“A gem. Informed by both knowledge and experience, Wiley teaches how to break cycles of addiction and fear, and artfully inspires the read to forge new relationships with themselves, with others, and with life. Her message and her suggestions are powerful.” —Paula D’Arcy, author of Gift of the Red Bird
“Imagine a wise friend reassuring you you’re not alone, whatever you’re going through. Bursting with inspiration, encouragement, and practical suggestions, There Are No Mistakes is the perfect tool kit for anyone starting the journey to recovery or finding their way on the path to self-awareness.” —Joan Duncan Oliver, author of Happiness: How to Get It and Keep It