How to be humble

How to be humble

 

In this article: Accept your limits Appreciate others Rediscover the feeling of wonder Related articles

According to an old country song, “It's hard to be humble when you're perfect in everything”. Of course, few people consider themselves perfect in all areas. Still, being humble remains very difficult, especially in societies that encourage competition and individualism. Yet even in such cultures, humility remains an important virtue. Learning to be humble is central to most spiritual traditions. Humility can help you develop and enjoy rich relationships with others.

 

 

 

Part

1

Accept your limits

1

Accept the fact that you're not the best at everything (or maybe even nothing). No matter how talented you are, there's almost always someone who can do something better than you. Look at those who are doing better and see how you can improve.

Even if you really are the best in a certain area, there will always be something that you can't do or that you may never be able to do.

Recognizing your limits doesn't mean giving up on your dreams or giving up on learning new things or even improving your abilities.

 

 

2

Admit your own mistakes. We judge others, because that is much easier than analyzing ourselves. However, this is not only counterproductive, but it can also become harmful. Indeed, judging others leads to relational conflicts and prevents the formation of new relationships. Worse still, it prevents us from trying to improve ourselves.

We are constantly judging others, often without even realizing it. Try doing the following exercise: whenever you find yourself judging someone or a group of people, transfer that judgment to yourself and see how you can improve.

Try to fix your flaws. Remember that development and improvement are continuous processes.

3

Know how to appreciate what you have. Suppose you graduated from a prestigious university and ended up at the top of your class. Of course, you deserve congratulations for your hard work and perseverance. However, there is definitely another person as smart and hardworking as you, except they weren't lucky enough to have parents like yours to support them, grew up in an unfavorable environment, or simply made a wrong choice in life. You could have been in his place.

Always remember that one bad choice yesterday could have changed your whole life. Likewise, the right choices today can change your life for the better.

While you may have worked hard to get what you have, don't think it's all "earned" and that you have a right to brag about your accomplishments.

4

Never be afraid to make mistakes. Being humble means knowing that you will make mistakes, everyone makes mistakes. Understand this and you will have rid yourself of a very heavy burden. Each individual possesses only a tiny part of the immense knowledge accumulated over the centuries.

Moreover, our experience only represents a bridle of the present and we know almost nothing of the future.

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5

When you make mistakes, admit them. Not being afraid to make mistakes is good, but admitting the ones you've made is even better. Whether you made a mistake as a boss, parent, or friend, people will appreciate the fact that you're willing to admit you're not perfect and are working to improve the situation. Admitting your mistakes shows you're not stubborn, selfish, and don't think you're perfect.

Admitting your mistakes will earn you the respect of others whether they are your own children or co-workers.

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6

Avoid bragging. Don't brag about your accomplishments. If you're that great, people will recognize your efforts and congratulate you on their own. No need to talk about your awesome raise at work, the awesome piece of art you just finished, or the last marathon you ran. It's true, these things are impressive. But bragging about it will just make you seem self-centered and have far less impact than letting people realize to themselves that you're great.

This doesn't mean you have to lie about your accomplishments. If someone asks you if you've ever run a marathon, say yes, but don't make a fuss about it.

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7

Remain courteous during your conversations. Modest people are not flowerpots. Being modest does not mean having no self-esteem. A humble person takes others into consideration during conversations and does not interrupt or belittle others. You need to recognize that everyone, including you, has goals and dreams, and a desire to talk about their accomplishments and give their opinion.

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8

Don't give yourself all the credit. Okay, you cooked a yummy dish or completed a complicated project at work, but did you really do it all on your own? If so, good for you, but chances are someone else has contributed to your success. So if someone praises you, say, "I couldn't have done it without...." or "...helped me a lot." Don't ramble on about how hard and alone you worked to accomplish this task.

Share the love. There's nothing more prideful than taking all the credit for something you didn't do.

Part

2

Appreciate others

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1

Appreciate the talents and qualities of others. Look beyond yourself to discover people and the things they are capable of or to simply appreciate them for who they really are. Understand that people are different from each other and relish the idea of ​​being around different people. You will always have your own tastes, things you like, things you hate, but learn to separate your opinions from your fears to better appreciate others. It will make you more humble.

Being able to appreciate the talents and qualities of others can also show you qualities that you want to improve or possess.

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2

Stop comparing yourself to others. It is nearly impossible to be humble when striving to be the “best” or do better than others. Instead, try to approach things more objectively. For example, instead of saying that So and So is the best guitarist of all time, say what exactly you like about him or simply that you like the way he plays. Stop simplistic comparisons and you will be able to do things and enjoy them without worrying about whether you are better or worse than someone else.

Each individual is unique. It is therefore difficult to say who is really “the best” in a particular field.

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3

Don't be afraid to trust the judgment of others. It's easy to recognize that you make mistakes and aren't always right. It is more difficult, however, to recognize that in many cases others (including those who disagree with you) may be right. Giving in to your spouse's wishes, to a law that you don't approve of, or even, at times, to your child's opinion, gives a whole new dimension to realizing your limits.

Instead of just saying you know you're fallible, act on it. Of course, if you know for a fact that a certain course of action is wrong, you're not going to follow it. But on closer inspection, you might find that you're not always so sure.

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4

Consult the sacred texts. This is another way to appreciate others. Study the standards of morality and proverbs about humility. Pray for humility and meditate on this quality. Do whatever it takes not to be self-centered. You can read biographies, memoirs, the Bible, documentaries on how to improve your life, or anything else that will help you be more humble and appreciate what others have to offer.

If you are not a religious person, turn to scientific thinking. Science requires humility. It involves letting go of your preconceived ideas and prejudices and accepting the limits of your knowledge.

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5

Stay willing to learn. Find people who inspire you in a particular field and who you would like to be like. Ask them to mentor you. Confidentiality, good judgment and clear definition of boundaries are necessary elements of tutoring. As soon as you feel that you are no longer “willing to learn”, come back down to earth. There is always something to learn in life.

Taking classes in a field you know nothing about like pottery or screenwriting can make you more humble. You will let others teach you.

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6

Help others. Being humble involves respecting others. One way to respect them is to help them. See others as being on the same level as you and help them, because it's the right thing to do. It has been said that if you help someone who cannot return your good deed, then you have learned humility. Helping those in need will make you appreciate what you have even more and make you less proud.

Of course, you shouldn't brag about your volunteer work either.

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7

Go last. If you are queuing with friends, need to choose gifts or help yourself to food, do it last. Let your friends, loved ones, the elderly or even complete strangers come before you and don't rush right away to meet your own needs. It's best to let others help themselves, sit down and wait your turn.

Ask yourself, "Do I really need to be the first to do this?" The answer will always be no.

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8

Compliment others. Compliment a loved one or even someone you barely know, just for fun. Tell your girlfriend how beautiful she looks today, congratulate your colleague on her new haircut or tell the cashier that you like her earrings. You can go deeper and praise someone for a nice aspect of their personality. Give at least one compliment a day and you'll see other people's assets even more.

Focus on other people's positives, not their flaws.

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9

Excuse yourself. If you made a mistake, admit it immediately and acknowledge your wrongdoing. Although it's hard to ask someone for forgiveness, you need to swallow your pride and say you're sorry for the hurt you've caused. This will show the person that they are valuable to you and that you admit your mistake. Swallowing your pride and saying you're sorry is also a way to show you really regret your actions.

Make eye contact when asking for forgiveness to show you mean it.

Don't start over. Apologizing does not give you the right to do the same thing again.

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10

Listen more than you speak. This is another great way to appreciate others and be more humble. During your next conversation, let your interlocutor speak, do not interrupt him and ask him questions so that he continues talking. Of course, you should contribute to the conversation, but get in the habit of letting others speak more than you do so that it doesn't seem like there's only what's going on in your life that interests you.

Don't just nod your head and say "hum-hum." Show that you really listen. Ask questions to show that you understand what the person is talking about. Don't just wait for her to finish talking thinking it's finally your turn.

Part

3

Rediscover the feeling of wonder

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1

Rekindle your sense of wonder. Because as humans we don't know a lot of things, it would be logical to expect that we would be amazed more often. Children, on the other hand, have this sense of wonder that stimulates their curiosity and makes them very good observers, capable of learning very quickly. Do you really know how your microwave works? Can you build one yourself? What about your car? Of your brain? Of a rose?

The jaded “I've seen it all, I know it all” attitude makes us more important than we actually have. Let yourself be surprised like a child and you will not only be humbled, but also more willing to learn.

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2

Be gentle. Meekness of spirit is the way of humility. In case of conflict, use aikido if possible, that is, absorb the venom of the attacks of others and react with gentleness and respect. Being gentle will help you rediscover your sense of wonder and focus on the positives in life.

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3

Spend more time in nature. Take a walk in the park. Stand near a waterfall. Look at the world from the top of a mountain. Take a long hike. Swim in an ocean. Find a way to enjoy nature and take the time to truly appreciate it. Close your eyes and feel the breeze on your face. You will feel very small in front of nature. Your wonder will grow as well as your respect for all those things that were there long before you and will still be there long after.

Spending more time in nature will show you how grand and complex the world is and remind you that you are not its center.

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4

Do yoga. Yoga is the practice of gratitude and love. It will help you develop your wonder for your breath, your body, and for the love and kindness of the world around you. Yoga makes you aware of the brevity of your earthly life, helping you to appreciate it even more. Make a habit of doing yoga at least twice a week and enjoy its emotional and physical benefits.

Yoga is about being humble. You can't brag about how you achieved a new yoga pose, the principle is to do everything at your own pace.

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5

Spend time with children. Children possess a sense of wonder that is difficult for an adult to replicate. Spend more time with them and see how they enjoy the world, constantly ask questions, and rejoice in little things. For a child, a flower or a roll of toilet paper can be the most extraordinary thing in the world, at least for an afternoon.

Spending more time with children will remind you of how magical the world is.

Advice

Be loving and caring at all times, you never know when someone will need you.

Learn to admit when you're wrong and don't let your pride justify your actions.

Remember that being humble has many benefits. Humility gives you a sense of satisfaction, helps you endure difficult times and improves your relationships with others. This quality is also essential for effective learning. If you think you already know everything, you will never be open-minded enough to seek out new knowledge. Humility is not based on intuition. It is an excellent tool for self-development in general. After all, if you feel superior to others, you won't want to improve. Above all, being humble allows you to be honest with yourself.

Ask questions when you don't know, when you know a little, and even when you think you know everything.

It's okay to talk about yourself once in a while, but make a conscious effort to ask others questions too. It is also important to listen carefully when someone speaks to you or responds to you.

Never brag about the things you have. First give and you will receive.

Be kind and considerate. Help others and let them know that you will always be there for them.

Seek wise and trustworthy advice. If you think this is something you need to work on, find friends who will hold you accountable. "Before the collapse, there is pride" and prevention is better than cure.

Appreciate your talents. Being humble doesn't mean you can't feel good about yourself. Self-esteem is not pride. While both stem from a recognition of your talents and qualities, pride, that penchant for arrogance, stems from a lack of self-confidence. Think about your abilities and show yourself grateful for having them.

Do not hesitate to help people, especially the poor, the weak, etc.

Living selflessly brings more satisfaction than living selfishly.

Before thinking of yourself, think of others. Think about who would need you before you think about who you would need.