This is the habit of not judging ourselves for any less or any more than we really are. It’s a two sided habit. One side is to use our gifts and talents to the fullest, while on the other side restrains our pride from saying or acting as if we are more. Consider the value of a bicycle pedal without the rest of the bike. It’s not very useful, but when connected to the bike it is essential. So, too, is any one person on a team, in a family, or within a class. We are individually valuable as a part of something bigger than ourselves and when we act humble we recognized the value of each person as well as our own.
Thinking humbly helps to focus on personal growth rather than the faults of others. We have the power to influence others, but change can only come from within. Humility is the freedom to live as the very best version of ourselves. As parents and educators, it is our response-ability to alert our children to behaviors less than humble. With a firm, fair, and friendly comment, hold your children responsible for behaviors that will truly make them a better version of themselves. Here is a quick reference to use when your child needs to FIX a mistake:
- Forgiveness – sincerely apologize or forgive someone for a fault.
- Identify the logical and natural consequences for the mistake.
- neXt time, how would you act differently?
Here are a few ways our children can practice humility:
- Heart – apologize when you hurt someone’s feelings.
- Mind – write down the lesson learned from a recent mistake.
- Body – congratulate your friends for their athletic successes.
- Soul – forgive yourself for not always being the best version of yourself.
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” – C.S. Lewis
“What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place. A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth. This is now exactly reversed.” – G.K. Chesterton
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