How Humility will make you the Greatest Person Ever

By Vicki Zakrzwski

 Our culture places so much value on external accomplishments, appearance, and self-aggrandizement—all things that are ephemeral at best—that even a small display of this quiet virtue can make one feel like a drowning man coming up for air.

Yet, why can it be so challenging for us to express humility?

Is it because we often misinterpret its active demonstration to be a sign of weakness, when in reality it is an indication of tremendous inner strength?

The answers may be found in what scientists are discovering about this quality—one so deeply revered by all spiritual traditions that many consider it to be the mother of all virtues.

Why is humility good?

When I meet someone who radiates humility, my shoulders relax my heart beats a little more quietly, and something inside me let’s go. Why? Because I know that I’m being fully seen, heard, and accepted for who I am, warts and all—a precious and rare gift that allows our protective walls to come down.

Truly humble people are able to offer this kind of gift to us because they see and accept their own strengths and limitations without defensiveness or judgment—a core dimension, according to researchers, of humility, and one that cultivates powerful compassion for humanity.

Three tips for cultivating humility

Embrace your humanness

For many, when we fail at something that is important to us—a job or a relationship, for example—our self-esteem plummets because we tied our self-worth to those things. All of a sudden, we become bad or unworthy people, and it can be a long road to recovery. Not so for people with humility. Their ability to withstand failure or criticism comes from their sense of the intrinsic value of being human rather than external means.

Practice mindfulness and self-compassion

Mindfulness and self-compassion have been linked to greater psychological resilience and emotional wellbeing. According to scientists, humble people have an accurate picture of themselves—both their faults and their gifts—which helps them to see what might need changing within.

The more we become aware of our inner lives, the easier it is to see where unhealthy beliefs and actions might be limiting us.

Express gratitude

Saying “thank you” means that we recognize the gifts that come into our lives and, as a result, acknowledge the value of other people. Very simply, gratitude can make us less self-focused and more focused on those around us—a hallmark of humble people.

Image courtesy of (Image Courtesy: The New York Times)

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