Flawless… Doesn’t Exist

Why is it so hard for us to admit we are wrong or even that at times, we need help? I think about literature through the ages… by Homer, Dante Alghieri, Shakespeare, Austen, Dumas, Dickens, Poe, etc. They all wrote about flawed characters. But then, in many ways, to be human is to be flawed, is it not? Then why we do we have such a hard time accepting these flaws?

Now, I don’t mean to be hypocritical so I will come out and say that I place myself in this exact group when I ask “we”. I can logically say that I am flawed but if one were to ask me whether I embrace these flaws, my answer would be a resounding no. Not to mention, even though I realize that I have many flaws, I also find it harder to admit some versus others. For instance, admitting I am an emotional eater is not as difficult as admitting I can be an overbearing mother or wife—there are different degrees of difficulty.

This all being said, it is very hard to move past these flaws or even continue to improve upon them without the acknowledgment that they exist. Additionally, our mission to improve ourselves is a journey full of tradeoffs and sometimes we aren’t willing to sacrifice to gain. What I have learned personally though is that embracing these flaws can prove very beneficial—even if they are not something we can even change. If anything, they teach us more about who we are and what we stand for. And if we can get smart about them, they can also help us understand when we sometimes need a little help to move forward.

Happy writing this week!