Eight Pillars of Joy: Humility
We are each one person out of 7 billion and counting!
When you see someone, may you never feel superior
Humility makes us feel more connected
When you get down to the nitty gritty of who everyone is, we’re all the same. Molecules make up atoms, which make up cells, which further make up the human body. No, we don’t all look the same, act the same, or like the same things, but at the foundation level, we’re all human. We all have the same potential for good and bad emotions. We all desire to eat delicious food, or read good books.
Believing oneself to be something special, reinforces the walls you’ve placed around yourself and enhances a sense of isolation from the rest of the world. Having humility means not taking yourself seriously and knowing you are no more important than the person next to you. It gives you an understanding of where you are in the wider world and the knowledge that we need help from others to make the world a better place. We can’t do it alone.
“The word humility actually comes from the Latin word for earth or soil, humus. Humility literally brings us back down to earth, sometimes with a thud.” - Douglas Abrams, The Book of Joy
Exercise
- Has there ever been a situation in which you interacted with someone who felt they were better than others? How much did you want to knock them down a peg or two? How could they have handled the situation with humility? Perhaps that person was you! How would you handle that situation now?
Next: Healthy Social Connections