I must be myself. I cannot break myself any longer for you, or you. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Prompt:  Think of all the things that are not working in your life.  That job you don’t like, that relationship that’s not working, those friends that annoy you.  Now turn them all on you. Imagine that everything that’s not working in your life, is your fault.  How would you approach it?  What would you work on to change your life to the state that you want it to be?   (Author: Carlos Miceli)

The “F” Words

what are words for?, a photo by Darwin Bell on Flickr.

Words mean more than what is set down on paper.  It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning.  –  Maya Angelou

Fault, flaw, failing, foible, or frailty along with a few other four-letter words such as fear, pretty much scare the life out of living, if embraced the wrong way.  Often those “f” words are used as negatives, particularly when describing a personality trait, emphasizing a cynical point or lambasting another or oneself.   Whether delivering or getting the word, the usual results are feelings of guilt, anger or despair.  You feel like life is a bummer.

While I hear the words, I listen to my inner voice.  It changes what I hear.  I hear positive negatives.  When I hear fail, I see possibilities for trying again. My voice tells me to fight on. When I hear flaws, I see opportunities to improve myself. I let fear scare me into doing something–anything–that reinforces my passions, my causes and my purpose.  Finally, I deflect faults by taking responsibility. I understand responsible living is part fear, part falling down and getting up, a bit of self-reliance, a lot of flexibility and a great deal of adapting to change.

Faith, friends, family, feeling fabulous and fortunate, fun and future are a few of the “f” words I favor.  Forget fault.