We can become so attuned to our weaknesses that we forget about our strengths.
Since the things we focus on are energized, giving attention to our weaknesses can only make us feel weaker.
The Gift of Attention
Attention is a gift. You experience this gift when someone listens intently to what you say. He or she is giving you something they could choose to place elsewhere. We can also give our self this gift by being attentive to our strengths and interests more of the time.
It is astonishing how many of us have trouble listing our strengths, and there are several reasons for this. Sometimes our own strengths escape our perception though others see them clearly. Individuals with an over-bred sense of humility might feel selfish or embarrassed by touting their strengths.
Others of us are blind to our strengths because they were never pointed out to us, or were considered a negative. Strengths can also fade into the background when they seem powerless against symptoms of a mental disorder such as OCD, or depression.
Remembering Our Strengths
In broad terms, personal strengths are our intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and physical assets, those things we are naturally good at or have learned. They include character traits, values, talents, skills, supports, and resources.
When up against a problem, instead of speculating about worst case scenarios, it is more helpful to recall the external and internal resources we have at our disposal. For those of us with a habit of thinking catastrophically, shifting to strength-based awareness takes continual self-reminding and practice. Sometimes it requires the support of a good therapist.
It is important to realize that the habit of facing obstacles head-on is not created by overcoming weaknesses, but by having faith in our capabilities. So, we need to cultivate our awareness of them. Think about the qualities you have used to accomplish tasks or projects, and the strengths you have drawn on to manage disappointments.
Jose Ortega y Gasset, a philosopher, wrote, “Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you who you are.”
Photo credit: DiddyOh - flickr
