I'm not sure I completely buy that though, not for myself anyway. I'm not saying that doesn't work for people; obviously it does for many. In fact, I can generally easily have that philosophy about other people, but rarely for my own errors. Some of my coping behaviors were entirely destructive and potentially deadly. I DID have other options and skills to use. I knew it at the time, but I CHOSE not to use them. I did NOT do the best I could with what I had at the time.

That doesn't mean I bash myself about my mistakes or can't forgive myself for them though, and perhaps that is where I see things differently for myself (again, talking about myself here, not anyone else). I'm not one to flail myself over errors. They are in the past, I can't undo them, and I can forgive myself for them. I learned from my mistakes, and moved on.

But I wouldn't begin to somehow say sweet nothings to those poor behaviors. I am not thankful for them at all, and being somehow grateful for them would, for me, give myself permission to repeat those mistakes. Instead, I saw them for the enemy they were, figured out how to fight them with the help of my therapy and support people, and emerged from the battle much stronger and much more able to utilize healthy coping skills.

I didn't need to make peace with my mistakes; I just needed to take action to avoid ever making such potentially deadly decision again.

I think different personalities approach their mistakes and how to live with them in different ways. Neither approach is definitively better than the other; however, one approach may be more appropriate for one group while other approaches will work for others. The human psyche is widely various and fascinating that way, isn't it?

Interesting topic.