Is humility holding you back?

What are your thoughts on the following quotes ?:

“Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freeing yourself from thinking of yourself at all.”

~ Temple of William

“Swallow your pride once in a while, it doesn’t get fat!”

~ Unknown author

“What kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself.”

~ Abraham Lincoln

“A man wrapped in himself makes a very small bundle.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

“Most of us have enough theological attitude to think that we are little gods.”

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

“There are two kinds of egoists: those who admit it and the rest of us.”

~ Laurence J. Peter

Great wisdom can be seen in these quotes and in their underlying message.

But does the humility they refer to and that you and I cherish really hold us back?

This may seem like a strange statement because many of us were taught to be humble from a very young age, especially if you went to church and / or read books on personal growth, spirituality, and energy. In fact, you’ve probably read or heard that it is important to remain humble and modest.

While it is important to remain humble, it is equally important to know WHEN to do it.

With the expansion and growth of the self-development movement, the message of being humble has become quite prevalent. And while that’s accurate, it’s only half the message.

If you and I were giving a seminar together to a group of 1000 people and I started to complement you and share with the whole group how great you are, and start listing some of your wonderful qualities, what would be your first reaction?

Would it be saying no, no, and then trying to get my attention by complimenting me? Instead, would you minimize the snap, or would you do what many comedians do: identify some of your weaknesses just to show the audience that you are human or more humble than what I was describing?

These questions have great significance, as a popular trend has started in this area of ​​people who do not respect or honor themselves. Rather than pride themselves (for a moment) on their strengths, the tendency is to minimize themselves. And the key question for us is why?

When a person minimizes himself, it is usually because he was taught to do so. In reality, many people are much more insecure than we think. So the result is the tendency to play with insecurity while minimizing one’s abilities.

As much as humility has its purpose and place, like everything else, there is also a time to honor one’s strengths and abilities. If we repress what we believe to be our gifts, then clearly … WE WILL BE DETENDING.

Rather than hold back, if that’s what’s happening, it’s time to honor your gifts!

Here are six easy ways to recognize your strengths and honor yourself:

1. Instead of resisting a compliment, openly accept it and be grateful.

2. Create a list of your top 5 strengths and add it to that list each time you become aware of a new one.

3. Recognize that it is just as important to acknowledge your strengths as it is to be aware of your weaknesses and then let them go.

4. The best way to have a great interview for a job, for example, is to let your confidence shine through. Those who are confident in themselves do not usually show off all their strengths; however, they are usually very aware of its presence. As a result, others feel consciousness naturally.

5. Realize that whatever judgment we have about boasting is as much a part of the ego as boasting itself.

6. When you see or hear from another person bragging or looking confident or possibly even overly confident, say, “Good for him / her!”

The essential message here is that you give yourself permission to express yourself as they call you to do so. Sometimes that will mean openly acknowledging your strengths, while other times it will keep them to yourself. Either way, ideally you will allow yourself to be who you are and not try to hold yourself back by living up to a standard of humility that others can speak of.

It takes a lot of confidence, clarity, assurance, and security to experience and share true humility! Just remember that it’s okay to be who you are, even if it means taking pride in your own abilities and accomplishments!