If you want to accept your faults, how do you begin? Everyone has faults. Some are behavior errors, while others are personality imperfections. Once you identify them, how do you resolve to mend them?
“How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them.”
Benjamin Franklin
How to Accept Your Faults, Then Resolve to Mend Them
To accept your faults, knowing what they are is first necessary. Most likely, you have a good idea of your shortcomings.
Common Faults
For example, do any of these faults sound like you?
- You’re short-tempered and impatient.
- You make rash decisions and act impulsively.
- Sometimes, you even hurt others in the process.
- You put off projects and tasks until the last minute.
- This creates undue stress and pressure on yourself and others.
More Dangerous Faults
When you think about how to accept your faults, consider some that are more than inconsequential. Instead, they may veer toward danger.
- You take risks.
- Reckless driving is a typical behavior.
- You often speed, even when you’re not in a hurry.
- Sometimes, you drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- You don’t take care of your health.
- Spending becomes a problem.
- You like to gossip.
- Lying is something you do without thinking. You tell lies or shade the truth.
What do all these have in common? These are your faults. You should own them.
After You Accept Your Faults: How to Mend Them
You want to get past the guilt, shame, and remorse that your faults create. To do that, you must resolve to mend them after you own them.
What happens when you accept your faults? What does this process entail? How long does it take, and when do you know it’s complete?
Steps to Resolve or Mend Your Faults
First, it isn’t necessary to do a gut-wrenching dump of every bad thing you’ve ever done all at once. You already know your most significant faults, even if they seem minor to others. If they bother you, or others tell you that you tend to engage in specific bad behavior, these should be at the top of your list. You must own these and mend them.
- Keep a journal of your faults.
- It’s also helpful to note the kind of action or approaches you might take to mend those faults.
- For example, if you’re always late, go to bed and get up earlier. Even 15 minutes would help you achieve your goal of changing your behavior.
Mending Financial Faults
Say you consistently overspend your budget. You have no cushion for emergencies or can’t pay the bills. Acknowledge this fault. Next, decide what to do to change it.
- Set spending limits.
- Cut up your charge cards.
- Map out a budget and stick to it.
- Take a financial management class.
- Research how to avoid overspending.
- If spending is a serious problem, consider getting professional help.
What to Expect Next
You’re taking proactive steps to restore balance when you identify and accept your faults and resolve to mend them. This helps improve your sense of self-satisfaction and accomplishment. It also adds to your overall joy of living.
If the life you want seems out of reach, perhaps taking this self-inventory and crafting a plan to change your ways will help you achieve your goals. It is all up to you. No one else can do this for you. The best time to get started is now.