Hopefully last week all of you, dear readers, were able to discover for yourselves the path towards which you wish to steer your life. Nevertheless, finding your life purpose isn't the only major component of self-discovery.The purpose of this weeks article, and the last one of the series, is to discover what are you strengths in your life and the weaknesses that complement them. By the end of this reading, you will have figured out what are they and how you could use these two components of self-discovery to enjoy life to a greater extent.
Let´s start by defining flaws and weaknesses. While a flaw is a characteristic of yourself you seem to not be able to manage effectively, a strength is a factor you can control impressively and go above and beyond expectations with it. It is important to consider that although your ability to control these two differs, it doesnt mean one can turn into another.
For example, say empathy is a crucial flaw in your self-list, but you really want that to change. That is not a problem, because you can gradually start to become more conscious of the way you address people and over some time turn empathy into one of your biggest fortes. It isn't easy; but if you work on it over long periods of time, there is a high chance of successfully making the transformation.
Whether you want to simply discover what your flaws and fortes are, or try to modify them so they positively contribute to your life, the following step-by-step process that I found really effective can help you in this process:
1. To start, remind yourself that in order for this journey to be successful, you have to be 100% honest with yourself.
2. When that is settled, on a piece of paper draw a chart with two columns. One of those columns will be labeled "Fortes" and the other "Flaws". Next to "Flaws", create a column labeled "How can I improve?".
3. Now, ask yourself these two questions: "What do I consider I am good at?" and "What parts of my personality do I get complimented on regularly?". All of the ideas that come up after this write them down in the "Fortes" column.
4. While it is true that self-discovery comes from inside, sometimes it is important to slightly consider what other people see in you as well, because we can often be blind to some of our weaknesses.
5. When that is finished, ask yourself,"What actions or characteristics do I have a hard time controlling?". All of the answers that come up write them down in the "Flaws" column. Remember, don´t be too hard on yourself!
6. Additionally, go to the next column and write your self-reflections on how you can transform these flaws gradually into fortes. Also come up with small exposure moments or "tests" that can help you practice controlling them. For example, if you tend to not think twice about what you say, maybe start by having a conversation with your parents and trying to control what you say. After all, if you make a mistake they are the least likely people to judge you.
And that´s it! Keep this sheet with you at all times and make sure to gradually try to improve, without forgetting to accept yourself regardless of what flaws you have!
