The Power of Humility

"Humility is the foundation of all other virtues, hence in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance." - Saint Augustine

"True humility is contentment." - Henri Frederic Amiel

Humility is the opposite of pride, but you've been told to take pride in yourself and what you do. So where does this contradiction come from? Your ego wants you to believe that you're always right. It's opinionated, full of self-importance, wanting to save face at all cost or to bully others into doing things your way. This is when you need to stop and think, and put yourself in other people's shoes.

It's okay to be proud of your achievements, but a healthy dose of self-esteem is not the same as arrogance. Arrogance stems from fear: fear of not being good enough, of being rejected, of not being taken seriously. Therefore arrogance comes from a feeling of insecurity that the individual covers up with a false sense of pride. This leads to a rigid attitude towards others, and towards anything that doesn't comply with a fixed image of the way things should be.

To be humble is to be open-minded. It's to be able to admit that you may be wrong, that you don't know everything. No one has the key to ultimate knowledge. There is always room for improvement, and for learning new things. Every day, you gather new experiences, and have the opportunity to change your perspective on people and circumstances. What was valid yesterday might not be that way today or tomorrow. To be humble is to be adaptable, flexible and able to go with the flow.

You need to have a realistic view of yourself, of your assets as well as your shortcomings, your strengths as well as your weaknesses. You need to embrace yourself for who you are, and love others for who they are, instead of trying to change them. Humility is contentment, because it brings with it peace, tolerance and acceptance. Humility opens the door to all things...

"If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14

With love,

Bella

Photo by Bella Tindale