Qualities Of Fair-Thinking Essay Examples

The quality that I possess in abundance is that I understand others’ viewpoints. In life there are so many cultures, subcultures, ethnicities and opinions that each person is exposed to diversity on a constant basis. This means that every person is going to have a different outlook on every topic. It is such a relief to both explore and find compassion for others who hold different views. In fact, I have learned a great deal by simply asking others what they think or feel about a topic and then searching further with them by asking why they felt or thought that way. Most people have a valid reason for the way they view different issues. Whether that is past experience, consequences they have undergone or tradition there is always a reason. This allows the walls of difference to crumble and mutual respect to develop. It is better to understand than to fear. I try to build bridges over fear by getting to know others and ask open-ended questions so that I may be given insight to the person in front of me. It has been quite rewarding.
Unfortunately, the two areas that I fall short in are: being aware of my own faults and holding myself to the same standards as I expect of everyone else. The first one is difficult because most people cannot see with an objective view. Being objective about the self is extremely hard because of ingrained habits, differences of norms and values, and behavior traits that were learned as coping mechanisms even if those coping skills are dysfunctional. I often contemplate this after disagreements or confrontations that end negatively. I try to find my role in the issue and think about how I could have handled it better. It is hard, but it is worth it.
One of the actions that help with the challenges of being aware of my own faults is to ask those around me to point out whenever I do or say something that is hurtful or offensive. Once I am made aware of my mistakes I can work on them, and that is how I try to help myself grow. I continue to read about others with the same personal behavior traits that cause me and other people to be upset. I am also in personal therapy to help work on better coping skills when it comes to stress. Other people deserve my best, and I am working to give it to them.
The second weakness is that I do not hold myself to the standards I give others. This is not the way it sounds, however. I hold myself to extremely high standards. I am hard on myself unlike anyone else around me. I do not expect others to behave a certain way or even do anything other than not disrespect me with what I call the Big Three: no physical abuse, no lying, and no cheating. This goes for all that are in my life. I honestly do not expect others to live up to my own standards. I know they are harsh. However, if I did not hold myself to high standards I would not have been as successful in meeting many of my goals. Sometimes high standards like this put me under extreme misery when I fail to meet my own expectations. It is hard to handle these times, but I am working on being kind to myself. It is a work in progress. Other people around me are supportive, but most of the time they do not understand. One of the ways that I have been working on this is to remind myself constantly that I am trying to do my best and sometimes I will fail. I cannot be perfect at everything. Those things I am good at I try to get better at. I call it developing my strengths. I work around obstacles rather than give up in despair. There is always a way to manage my weaknesses; I just have to look deeper. It is important to me to always improve myself. I feel that my plans with developing positive results out of both of these issues is going to take time, but it is valuable for my personal growth and for those around me as well.