Salvation begins with God's love
Being saved means being brought into a restored relationship with God. Scripture is honest that every person has sinned and fallen short of God's glory, so none of us can repair that relationship through our own effort (Romans 3:23). We need help outside ourselves.
God has already acted in love. Jesus came into the world, gave his life for sinners, and rose again. John explains that eternal life is given to those who believe in God's Son, rather than being earned as a reward for religious performance (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Trust Jesus, not your record
Paul tells the Christians in Ephesus that salvation comes by grace through faith. Grace is God's undeserved kindness. Faith is relying on Jesus, trusting that his death and resurrection are enough to deal with your sin and bring you to God (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
That doesn't mean faith is merely agreeing with facts. It is personal trust. When a frightened jailer in Philippi asked Paul and Silas what he needed to do to be saved, they pointed him to belief in the Lord Jesus (Acts 16:30-31). You can come just as you are.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Turn to God honestly
Trusting Jesus includes repentance. Repentance means turning around, changing direction in response to God. Jesus called people to repent and believe the gospel, not because they had to make themselves perfect first, but because God's kingdom had come near in him (Mark 1:15).
You might pray in simple words: tell God that you need his mercy, that you believe Jesus died and rose for you, and that you want to belong to him. There is no required formula. What matters is the real turning of your heart towards Christ. Romans connects believing in the heart with openly acknowledging Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9-10).
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Begin walking with him
Following Jesus is the beginning of a new life, not the finish line of a one-time decision. God gives those who receive Christ the right to become his children (John 1:12). You will still need his forgiveness and help every day, but your hope rests in him, not in never failing again.
Tell a mature Christian or a local church what has happened, read one of the Gospels, pray honestly, and learn with others. Christians differ on the timing and meaning of baptism in some traditions, but they broadly agree that baptism is a meaningful public step of obedience for a believer (Matthew 28:19-20). Keep coming back to Jesus. He promises that the one who comes to him will not be turned away (John 6:37).