On Being Humble...

"Smile, breathe, and go slowly" - Thich Nhat Hanh

We all need to be more humble...

The dictionary defines humble as:

Adjective

1. Not proud or arrogant; modest
2. Having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc.
3. Low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc., lowly
4. Courteously respectful
5. Low in height, level, etc; small in size

Verb

6. To lower in condition, importance, or dignity; abase
7. To destroy the independence, power, or will of
8. Low in height, level, etc; small in size

To me humble means bettering ourselves for the common good of all humanity.

As our country is falling into a deep dark abyss, where political parties are being pulled a part, fights are breaking out over issues left and right, and our world is suffering a mass pandemic we should all be humbling ourselves a little more. We should be joining forces to rebuild our broken world, beginning with our own nation/country, instead of constantly being at each other's throats. People often fear that being humble is a sign of weakness. In reality it is the opposite. Taking a stand and being humble towards another human being is, in my opinion, one of the strongest actions someone can take. Putting aside one's pride and taking the time to really listen to another person.

We are a country built on pride and ego and it makes us weak. As a country when we feel our pride or ego is being challenged we wither in fear, this is when our nation's leaders puts the blame on others instead of the guilty party, often times themselves. This is a sign of weakness and being humble is not weakness. It is a sign of being strong, for standing up for what you believe in and taking responsibility for your actions, even if it is the wrong action. Our leaders, as many others, are always trying to cover up their wrong doings. No more. Be humble, take responsibility, say 'I was wrong'. People will respect you more it.

Without a sense of humility and acknowledgement of our own mistakes, our own faults, we gradually begin to feel justified in everything we think, say, and do, even when it hurts others. This is so common in our world today. People just go around thinking they can say or do whatever they want to another person and to them their actions are justified because our world has made it so. These people don't care whether they hurt someone's feelings or cause harmful actions because they feel entitled to do it, often to complete strangers. We do not view our own actions are reproachable. This is when arrogance and ignorance creep in. When did this behavior become the norm?!

We need to be more accepting as well as more humble. Not being able to to see and view others for what they are, their religion, their cultures and their beliefs is something a lot of people are guilty of. Why do we always feel we have to be RIGHT?! That our one way of thinking or believing is the true and only thing that should be?! Why not just humble yourself and accept everyone for who and what they are? Just simply respecting another human being out of common courtesy. Keep your negative comments to yourself. Does it make a person feel better to make another person feel bad? I compliment strangers all the time and I receive compliments myself. A simple thank you is exchanged and we both go about feeling better about ourselves and are days are better because of a simple compliment. This should be the norm!!

To be free and feel peace we must humble ourselves.

Being humble in all aspects - thought, speech, and mind - benefits not only oneself, but every relationship one can conceive of, from loved ones to acquaintances to strangers.

C.S. Lewis said it best:

Being more mindful of others and less of ourselves can bring about humility. With a lack of mindfulness we have a hard time accepting that no one is perfect and when we suffer from this, to us no one can live up to our standards. This is our biggest downfall. We can not see others as equals if we believe we are superior to them. The truth is NO ONE  is superior over ANYONE. No human is perfect. The only perfect, superior being is God himself. Humility allows us to open up to accepting and receiving people, their actions, their beliefs, their practices, etc.

The Bible has many verses on the subject of humbling yourself: 

"Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:10

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." 1 Peter 5:6

Jesus spoke this himself to  the crowds and to his disciples: "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."  Matthew 23:12

"Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life." Proverbs 22:4

28 Bible verses that speak of being humble

Ways to be HUMBLE:

1. Practice mindfulness - be at peace with yourself and others.

2. Meditate - Quiet your mind, sit with your thoughts and ask yourself if your current way of thinking or believing is serving yourself and others in a kind and loving manner.

3. Smile and serve others - your family, your friends, your neighbors, your community, strangers

4. Live simply

5. Show gratitude by saying thank you

6. Assume responsibility - instead of putting the blame on others speak up and own up to your actions, words and behaviors.

7. Don't be afraid to ask for help - I find it is hard for a lot of people to ask for help. I have never been one to not ask for help when I need it. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of humility. We all could use a little help from our friends.

8. Never stop learning - humble people are very curious. They know that knowledge leads to answers.

9. Be accepting of constructive criticism - it is a pathway to growth and improvement

10. Recognize we all have faults, including  you.

In closing humble yourselves!

As Tim McGraw says "always stay humble and kind."

We are all the same color on the inside ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🖤🤎🤍
Treat everyone with kindness, love, and fairness!

xo

Namaste, my friends

P.S. Yoga with Adriene to Shift your Perspective.
Because every now and then we could all use a change of perspective, especially when it comes to being humble.
Peace. Love. And Light.