“No one is you and that is your biggest power.”
– Dave Grohl
Have there been instances where looking at Instagram influencers made you question yourself, “Why am I not like them?” If not, then bravo. But if yes, you are not alone.
Moments of self-doubt can get to the best of us, the key is to snap out of it and own every aspect of your personality. When someone asks us about our strengths, we usually take our time to answer, but when asked about our weaknesses, we respond in a jiffy. Our flaws are something that we judge ourselves for a lot, instead of accepting that we all are imperfect in our own ways. Rather than agonizing over our flaws, we should embrace them. Easier said than done, right?
Embrace your flaws, meaning accept yourself as you are
The right approach of accepting your flaws can be different for everyone. It is all about loving the good and the not-so-good sides that make you, uniquely you. You are who you are and that is the most beautiful thing in the world. The people who are truly interested in knowing you and care about you don’t expect you to be perfect, they appreciate your authentic self. The world has set various benchmarks of perfection. Our urge to be perfect may be harming us more than helping us. People often mistake quirks and differences for flaws. Beating yourself up over an aspect of your physical appearance, abilities, or habits that are different from the norm isn’t always the best idea.
Take baby steps: tips for embracing your flaws
While it is true that the process of embracing flaws can be subjective, there are certain things everyone can do. There is no mystery theory to decode to accept yourself as you are. On most days we like ourselves, however, sometimes we just happen to get bogged down by external pressure and standards. Let’s take a look at a few simple tips for embracing your flaws:
Love yourself a little extra
Be your own Chandler to your Monica. We only get to live once and there should be no reason big enough to keep changing for others. Life is too short to dislike yourself and run away from your imperfections. When you love yourself for who you are, there is no space for insecurities and doubts.
Be in high spirits
Constantly being reminded of your flaws can be a reason to feel anxious at times. To be happy and feel like you are enough just the way you are, being kind and accepting toward yourself is the biggest thing. It is tough not to be impacted by what others say, but do not linger on it for long. Tell yourself that you are enough!
Strive for inner peace
Inner peace is not just about doing things that you love and care about, but honouring them as well. If you keep resisting your flaws, being at peace with your inner self will become tough. Real peace can be achieved only when you are true to yourself and don’t shy away from the world.
Develop a positive outlook
Focusing on your flaws and insecurities will only give you a negative perspective of the things around you. This outlook often leads us to make wrong decisions because we are too busy changing ourselves all the time. Stay positive and be confident in your abilities – you’ll be more able to think about the world around you!
Be who you are
Act like Phoebe when she runs! It’s considered weird by lots of people, but she didn’t change anything about it because the way she ran made her feel good about herself. She accepts herself for who she is. It might sound cliché but your flaws are strengths and make up the person you are – often they are the reason why people are drawn to you.
How to fully embrace your flaws?
To embrace your flaws, meaning to be able to accept your imperfections, you need to be aware of what they are and then work towards improving them.
Surround yourself with positive people
The company you keep makes a huge impact on your life. We are bound to be influenced by people. You should surround yourself with positive, forward-thinking people and resources that either encourage you to love all parts of yourself or help you to see certain “flaws” in a new light.
Find unconventional role models
As a society, we only see one idea of beauty (tall, skinny, blonde). Anything that falls outside of the guidelines automatically feels wrong or ugly. To change your way of thinking, follow role models who have branded themselves as unconventionally beautiful. By noticing the beauty in them, and realizing that their imperfections are what makes them special, we can begin to feel the same way about ourselves and what we perceive as our flaws. Remember, people might judge us for how we look but what matters most is who we are inside.
Work on yourself to be what you want to be
Whether you think it is your physical attributes or personality traits that make you imperfect, try to showcase them without any doubts and see what happens. Quite possibly, the results will differ from the worst-case scenario you have dreamt up in your head. The things we struggle to embrace about ourselves can be a little complex to understand and not necessarily bad. When you embrace them and learn to work with them, you can let go of what weighs heavy on your mind.
Find the positive in your negatives
If you find it hard to fully accept your quirks, it’s about time you change your perspective. Instead of focusing on the negativity of your traits, see what positivity they bring to your life. For instance, if you struggle with being reserved and quiet, realize how that, on the flip side, makes you an excellent listener or a keen observer. Or if you are short, be happy that you can wear heels!
Realize that flaws make you human
Everyone aims to be flawless, but your flaws make you fun and interesting. A person who wears their quirks on their sleeves comes across as personable and welcoming. Once you realize that, you can start to see that what you had once considered imperfections are actually the feathers that can make you fly high. Just think of all the times you thought someone’s shyness was sweet, someone’s boldness made them appear strong, or someone’s non-delicate nose gave them character. Isn’t that beautiful?
We all have flaws, and we need to work on them. But remember to embrace your flaws, meaning remember to accept yourself just the way you are. As you accept yourself fully, it makes you more confident and equips you to take on any challenge that comes your way. Self confidence and self awareness are the key ingredients to achieving successful and fulfilling personal and professional lives.
To dig deeper and learn about career-oriented skills and talents based on your unique personality traits, get in touch with LaunchMyCareer. Our experienced international career success coaches help individuals in identifying their true potential, convert flaws into strengths, and enable them to choose the right career path to lead a balanced life.
