Humility

 The most important thing that I came away with while researching the topic of humility is the actual definition from the dictionary. It is a noun that means a modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness. An example given was, "He needs the humility to accept that their way may be better."

My decision to write on this topic came up through my thinking while reading the news and hearing of current events that seemed to give the impression that humility was a weakness. It actually is the exact opposite.

It is a way of behaving that shows others that you don't think that you are better or more important than other people. In our culture today, we need more people who practice the art of humility. It means letting go of our egos. If our ego is in charge then it becomes impossible to be humble.

Another false misconception is that people confuse having a humbling experience with being humiliated. It is not the same thing. Humble is something that we are. Humiliation is something we feel. Sports give perfect examples of the difference between these two words. Many times it is the luck of the draw that decides the winning goal or point. How the winning team responds to the losing team can be interesting to watch. Sometimes both teams made mistakes and could have made a humiliating error. Yet if they pick themselves up and get back in the race, so to speak, then they have shown exactly how humble they are. 

Humility matters because it has the power to change many aspects of our lives. The more humble that we are, the more likely that help finds a way to us. Life, after all, is a team sport. Having a team is never enough if the team does not have feelings towards one another's strengths and accepting weaknesses without humiliation. Life is all about people and relationships. Ask yourself if you would rather spend time with an egomaniac or someone who puts your needs first? The answer seems easy enough, yet what I read, see and hear in the news is giving me a reason to question this theory. Our society as a whole could do with more humility.

A wonderful example of a leader with humility is Gandhi. Great things can be accomplished and society benefits from this kind of governance. When one gains control of their ego they become less likely to act aggressively, or to manipulate others or to express dishonesty. 

It starts with embracing our humanness. Learn from our mistakes. Practice mindfulness and self-compassion. Know what our own strengths are and accept what we need to work on and ask for help to learn more. Definitely we must let go of judging ourselves and painting a distorted view. 

Practicing gratitude can make us less self-focused and more focused on those around us which is the ultimate definition of a humble person. The journey toward cultivating humility is not just for the average person. It is something that we all should be aware of and practice daily. Steven Tyler wrote about it:

Without mentioning any specific leaders, because there are plenty, my wish would be that they would all practice humility. Some of our greatest leaders have worked toward this goal. One example is Nelson Mandela.