Have you ever had a day where things just weren’t going the way you wanted? I know I sure have and just a couple of weeks ago, I acted like ... well, a brat to a colleague. I all but stomped my foot in frustration and growled at someone I shouldn’t have. The frustration at the situation was very real but my reaction was more than it needed to be.

The 4-H motto is Learning by Doing and that applies to every aspect of life. Youth aren’t always going to make the best decisions; actually, many adults I know don’t always make the best decisions. However, our goal should always be to fairly evaluate the facts and our reaction. If we are fair in evaluating ourselves, we need to look at: Do I have all the facts? Did I overreact? Will this really matter in 10 days or 10 years? What can I learn today to apply tomorrow?

Depending on the appropriateness of our reaction, we may need to own our mistake and apologize. In my case, that involved a heart-felt apology delivered with a box of cookies. 

I encourage youth to stop and think about their actions and reactions. As leaders of youth, it is important to model behaviors which include apologizing when needed as well as giving them the space to learn and adjust. I encourage you to think about a situation recently that you might have handled differently and consider what you would change or if you need to make amends with someone. 

Each of us are a work in progress but the goal is always progress!

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness.

Michelle Beran is the 4-H and Youth Development Agent for the Cottonwood District, Barton County office. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth and Development related questions email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.