The Error of our Ways

The Error of our Ways

Since our recent venture into the world of fashionable yoga attire, it has been brought to our attention on more than one occasion that mistakes have been made (oops) (shock horror)! Nothing major, the Leggs are good, they don’t disintegrate when you wash them or go see-through in downward facing dog leaving little to the imagination of your fellow yogis. It is the small stuff, little things such as spelling mistakes, poor grammar, a wrong address a missing word; you get the picture? Oh and our personal favourite of saying yes when you should have said no. Hardly catastrophes and usually easily fixed, amended, deleted and forgotten. (Maybe not so easy with the people pleasing). As the spoken word is not so easy to erase.

Of course we are happy to be corrected, it’s helpful, but how much does or should it bother people when things aren’t perfect? Okay so maybe it looks unprofessional, less credible, and a little sloppy when things aren’t exactly as they should be, but how important is it in the grand scale of things. The very definition of a mistake is that of misjudgement, misguidance, and inaccuracy. A flaw, fault, oversight, but none the less usually unintentional; can anything positive come from something that is deemed wrong?

As a new business and small company we are extremely hands on, but very happy to be so. Overseeing design, marketing, PR, distribution and sales. We nurture each department with enthusiastic relish. We have poured a little of our souls into Yoga Leggs. Both of us unashamedly honest maybe we give too much of ourselves as some people may prefer more finesse, an illusion, some smoke and mirrors. We could pretend to be more established, have more employees just more of everything but that will all come naturally with time.

If you follow us on instagram, facebook or twitter or have found your way here; you may have noticed it’s not all about selling leggings. As you have probably concluded we have not employed some fancy agency to tweet for us-not yet anyway! We are having way too much fun; I’m rather enjoying my new found addiction to social media. Although my teenagers are now telling me to put the phone down! Funny how nobody ever says “mum step away from that Hoover” or “are you ironing again” (yes I know it’s very 1950s housewife of me and women are always looking at me in despair when I mention that I do indeed iron, but it is not a crime and I can’t send my people out crumpled). So anyway, we like to share the things we like; clouds, crystals, flowers, people, yoga, us. The very first tweet I sent I was making four packed lunches and Becki does everything these days sleep deprived and one handed whilst she cares for Aria. No wonder we make the odd mistake.

We like to think that we don’t take ourselves too seriously, we can acknowledge and laugh at any shortcomings (we never claimed to be copywriters) some days we only converse via whatsapp; we have been known to have whole conversations using only emojis.(who needs words)? Apple is often to blame, predictive text drives me insane and how strange it is that you can read something ten times, check it and double check it and still find a typo once it has been sent, so frustrating! Why oh why are certain types so aggrieved by the misuse of the appropriate punctuation? A close friend of mine is more offended by bad grammar than most other forms of anti social behaviour. Katie Hopkins recently caused a stir by announcing on her TV show that “thick people should not be allowed to vote” oh dear! What would she do with my severely dyslexic brother, have him transported! My heart both breaks and swells with pride witnessing his struggle and how he copes and functions without being able to read. It is quite unimaginable; many people that do not know the correct usage of their there are far from stupid. Are people more judgemental when they are particularly good at a subject, a superiority complex? Do we judge less harshly when we have empathy?

I know how much pressure is placed on children today to achieve, how intelligence and grades equal esteem and respect in most areas of everyday life, but don’t we all have our rolls to play. Our own strengths and talents. Hospitals need cleaners as much as they need surgeons. Shouldn’t we be educating our young on how to be kind, loving, non-judgemental, compassionate, tolerant human beings? Life skills for happiness. An A level in forgiveness would be so very useful, when your nearest and dearest mess up. We will all make mistakes, that is inevitable and it’s ironic that we beat ourselves and others up over outcomes that were never our original intention. Mistakes can leave us feeling embarrassed, vulnerable, humiliated and often ashamed; feelings that we like to deny or depending on our natures dwell upon .Some slip ups can help us grow, teach us and transform us. Positive outcomes can arise. Things are often repeated until we get it, have you made the same foolish mess of something time and again, and asked why does this keep happening to me? Eventually the light bulb goes off. A eureka moment. Lesson learned.

Personally I can freely admit when I have made a faux pas, I will hold my hands up, maybe cringe a little, apologise, try to laugh it off and move on. Whereas my lovely husband hates admitting he is at fault; it physically pains him. This turns me into some creature resembling a ferocious terrier digging for a bone. Not because I want to chastise him, I just think it would be good if he could take himself less seriously (who has the bigger problem, him or me)? The ego really can be a bitch!

It is said that we like to point out our fellow humans failings because it makes us feel a whole lot better about our own little shortcomings and insecurities. Maybe we should all practice a little more patience and understanding when encountering life’s curveballs. I’m sure that very few of us have ever set out to cause harm or distress to ourselves or others (nobody plans to get addicted to crack cocaine or run off with their wife’s sister)well I hope not. But life happens. And wisdom comes with age; a degree from the university of bad choices. Mistakes, what can I say learn from them, be present, be forgiving.
We also understand that some lovely people are just helpful and vigilant and we would love for you to continue on your campaign for better use of the English language, by pointing out the error of our ways.

Love and gratitude

Amanda and Becki xx