Self-reflecting without self-loathing

In the readings for my eternal families class this week, a particular quote stood out to me. It is by Thomas Carlyle and says, "The greatest of faults is to be conscious of none." To me, this is a very fine line that we must tread, because if we are overly conscious of our own faults, we will fall into anxiety and hopelessness, but if we are not conscious at all of our faults we will never improve as people. This quote was used in the context of having a healthy marital relationship. Many times, we fall into the trap of blaming others for our problems when, in reality, us taking ownership of them would allow us to overcome these problems. I think that to have healthy relationships, we need to find a place between these two extremes. We need to recognize our own faults and strive to improve them but also acknowledge that no one is perfect and not get too down on ourselves. I suppose we need to learn to see ourselves the way that Christ sees us.