Humility-What is it really?

Humility is a trait that is so hard to pin down, because it may hold different definitions for different people. But humility can’t be defined by the attire we wear, or the way we speak or walk. These may be outward expressions of a humility we have at the core of our being, but they could just as well be just a show for the benefit of others, which comes crumbling down the moment someone challenges our deepest insecurities. So what is humility really?

In probably one of the most illuminating definitions of this trait, C.S. Lewis famously said, “True Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” True humility is when we learn how to take ourselves a lot less seriously than we sometimes do. This is what will help us loosen up, let go of our egos, and be better in all the spaces and relationships in which we have been placed. It is what can help us feel a lot less entitled than many of us do, and make us put real effort in being teachable and becoming a better friend, or son/daughter, or spouse, or co-worker; because when we are truly humble, we understand that the world doesn’t revolve around us, and that a truly meaningful life lies in waking up each day and striving to be the best version of who we have been created to be, for ourselves, and more importantly, for the benefit of those around us.