Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame #WednesdayWisdom

Taking stock of ourselves to see how we’re doing in terms of our goals, our dreams is normal.

For me, this revolves around my priority lists, and my broader to-do list, categorized based on different aspects of my life.

Sometimes, I acknowledge my strengths.

But there used to be a time when, more often than I’d like to admit, I focused on my shortcomings. Consequently, when something didn’t work out the way it ought to have, I managed to spotlight this shortcoming, beat myself up, blow it out of proportions and well, give it a lot of importance.

In fact, I put it on a pedestal and gave it a place of honor in my hall of shame, to be remembered for eternity, ever ready to be pulled out at will and spiral down to that miserable place.

Not good for the self-confidence.

It is so easy to assume that the one weakness was far more terrible than it really was.

Why do we allow this to eclipse all the other positives?

Why not focus on the strengths?

Did we even look at our strengths and what we really have to offer?

Then there’s another side here—in relation to the people around us.

Have you noticed how we always tend to be more forgiving of others’ weaknesses than our own? Also, we are ready to applaud their strengths and brush away their shortcomings. Yet, when it comes to ourselves it is the other way around—highlight weaknesses and underplay the strengths.

Why be so unkind to ourselves?

Now let’s do this:

Let’s take stock right now, and this time, list all our strengths.

• What do we do well?
• Where are our strengths?

No need to live in the hall of shame.

Instead, focus on what we do well and grow our hall of fame.

Amplifying what is great within you will accelerate your life faster than fixing what you think ‘limits’ you.

– Brendon Burchard

Next time you take inventory… what will you be counting?

Learning your own character strengths can have a positive impact on your life, helping you manage situations better, improve your relationships, and enjoy an overall sense of wellbeing. Please encourage your children to do the same.

In the book Character Strengths and Virtues, Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman believe that each one of us possesses the twenty-four character strengths listed below.

Which of these are strongest in you?

Take an inventory today.

♥

#WednesdayWisdom is a series with short bursts of easy-to-consume wisdom in the form of stories, quotes, anecdotes, and humor.