Humility
Humility : the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one’s own importance, rank, etc.
Was perusing Facebook this morning and came across this Te.d X talk :
She talks about her experiences as a makeup artist and how many if not most of the women put themselves down as they’re getting their faces done. She also points out a few times when the women didn’t do this…and they were elderly (in their 90’s) or had serious illnesses (a woman was a cancer survivor). She notes, is THIS what it takes for me to be thankful for what I have?
When she said that, I kinda teared up…back to the leadership circle this past Monday, at one point we were supposed to give an example of the last time we were generous. I’d said I didn’t feel like I was really day to day, but everyone stopped and said I was incorrect…saying that I was SUPER generous, if not more than most in almost everything I did at wok.
To me I don’t really get that, or I don’t understand when to give myself credit for things. Again one of the exercises for the week was to make time to think about the things you are thankful for…and until seeing that video today which was a bit of a wake up call, I didn’t really feel like I’d done anything worth praising really. Not to necessarily diminish the things I HAVE done, but because I feel like I could always do more…and so feel like i’m never doing enough.
I remember this other instance in 6th grade. We had our annual awards ceremony for the kids where we got recognized for our grades. I got called up and received 13 certificates, the most out of anyone in my grade. Someone snapped a picture…the principal looked super proud standing behind me with her hands on my shoulders, and I looked super embarrassed. I remember feeling embarrassed too…like I felt like I hadn’t done anything worth noting…I mean at home I got side eye for my 96 not being a 98 or 100 so…
I don’t know…I think I carried that with me into adulthood.
Now it’s more that I’m weary of feeling like I’m bragging. Like I’m proud of things like working hard to do my own landscaping, or installing my blinds by myself, or fixing my car…but not really for doing things I’m SUPPOSED to do like doing well at work, or making good grades…or making a meal.
At what point does being proud compete with being humble?
Or at what point is being humble, not giving yourself enough credit?
