How celebrating your mistakes could have a positive effect

It's only natural to feel disheartened when you make a mistake because of the stigma attached to them.

However, they can often be effective tools for growth. When we reframe errors as milestones rather than threats, we can reshape our relationship with learning and resilience.

Drawing on psychological and neuroscientific insights, here, Dr Ashleigh Johnstone, senior lecturer in Psychology, at Arden University, argues that celebrating mistakes is not a feel-good slogan but a research-backed approach to thinking, growing, and thriving.

The psychology of mistakes

Errors don’t just signal failure; they drive learning. Neuroscience shows that when we make a mistake, the brain generates an 'error-related negativity' (ERN), a rapid signal that helps detect the misstep, often before conscious