Mother Teresa once said, “Humility is the mother of all good qualities: purity, good deeds and obedience. When we are humble, our love becomes real, becomes a solemn offering.” These words are absolutely true, but you don't have to be Mother Teresa or a religious person at all to try to practice humility in your daily life. Humility means accepting your limitations and trying to make changes for the better in the environment around you without expecting anything in return or appreciation.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Developing a More Humble Mindset
Step 1. Don't think that you are too good or superior at anything you do
People with big egos tend to think they deserve a better job, a better lover, or more interesting and classier friends. But your life is your own, and if you want better things, you have to work for them, not think you're being treated unfairly. To practice humility, try to accept your life now while continuing to work hard to achieve better things, without complaining.
If you constantly think of yourself as too good or superior, others will become "allergic" and avoid you. Instead, you need to make an effort to be grateful for what you have and work to achieve what you don't have, if that's what you want
Step 2. Have an optimistic attitude
People who practice humility are naturally optimists, because they don't waste time complaining about bad things happening to them or procrastinating moving forward. Instead, they are grateful for what they have and they look forward to good things in the future. Humble people do not expect to be given good and beautiful things in front of them, but they believe that good things will happen to them if they try to achieve them.
- Strive to have passion in everything that lies ahead. Don't always think negatively that there will be trouble or chaos in the future.
- While you should always be prepared for the worst, you should try to find the good in every situation.
Step 3. Accept that you are not the best and the best at everything
In order to have a more humble mindset, you have to accept the fact that you are not the best or the best at anything, or even at anything. No matter how good or good you are at surfing, singing or writing fiction, there will always be someone else more knowledgeable than you. And this is okay. Don't act like you have to be the one making the final decision on something. Be open because you are always changing and growing, and know that other people can help you move in a better direction.
If you act like you are the best, you will become arrogant. Instead, you need to show others that even if you are proud of what you know or have accomplished, you still want to grow to be better
Step 4. Know that humility is not a pretense
Being humble is not the same as pretending to be humble. If you've been working late all weekend and on Monday your boss compliments you on your work, don't answer, "Oh, that's nothing." Say you're happy that he likes your work, and say that you're glad you worked hard to get it done. You may think that refusing a compliment will make you look humble, but in fact, it actually shows that you are an arrogant person.
Of course, when people compliment you, it can feel weird at times. However, you should accept the award when it comes, not act as if the award is completely unimportant
Step 5. Identify your weaknesses
If you want to practice humility, you have to be aware of the fact that you are not perfect. If you think that you are a perfect person, you will not learn anything in this world and will not grow as a person. On the other hand, being aware of one's condition and knowing which areas still need improvement is very important to be humble in front of others. A truly humble person knows that he has weaknesses that need to be corrected and he will try to do so.
- Admittedly, admitting your weakness in sociability or tidiness can be uncomfortable. However, it will make you want to work hard to improve it.
- In addition to recognizing your weaknesses, it's very important that you accept the things you can't change about yourself.
Step 6. Avoid bragging about yourself
To truly practice humility, you should avoid boasting as much as possible. You may want to talk about your accomplishments, but don't make it sound arrogant. If you've worked hard to achieve something, it's okay to talk about it. However, avoid talking about how rich, attractive or successful you are, so that others don't get the wrong impression of you. On the other hand, you need to realize that you are attractive without being proud of yourself, so that other people will notice this as well.
- People who truly practice humility will focus far more on praising others than on boasting about themselves.
- The next time you want to talk about something you've accomplished, ask yourself if you're proud of yourself or just talking about something you're very proud of.
Step 7. Be grateful for what you have, as well as what you don't have
If you really want to practice humility, you should try to be grateful for everything you receive, from your physical health to your pet cat. Don't take anything for granted and know that even the smallest things, like reading an article on the Internet, are something that many other people don't get easily. You should also be grateful for all the difficulties and challenges that you have experienced, because they have made you who you are today.
- Of course, some people seem to have better luck than others. But know that what matters most is what you do with that luck, and realize that you need to be grateful for everything you've received, not complaining about what you haven't got.
- Gratitude is essential to true humility. Make an effort to list the things you are grateful for and keep adding new things to it whenever you think of it.
Part 2 of 3: Taking Action
Step 1. Stop talking
One way to practice humility is to listen more than talk. If you spend time just talking about yourself or sharing your ideas, there's little chance that you'll be able to learn from other people and learn to appreciate what they have to offer. Listening to others is also a way to make them feel more important and cared for. And indeed, the process of listening and giving the other person time will make you more humble.
- Recognizing that other people have a different point of view but just as important as yours, and realizing that everyone has their own concerns, doubts and expectations, also makes you more humble.
- Be someone who is good at listening to others, without interrupting or giving advice, unless asked to.
Step 2. Give the other person proper credit
If you want to practice humility, then the best thing you can do is learn to reward appropriately. If you're being praised for completing a work report, make sure that you also mention two co-workers you've worked hard with. If you are praised for scoring a goal in a football match make sure that you also mention about your team-mates who have fought alongside you. It's rare that you achieve 100% success without the help of others at all, and it's very important that you make sure that you value the people who have helped you achieve that success.
Recognizing the role and hard work of others will actually make you feel better. If you're receiving all the awards and compliments you don't really deserve, it means you're practicing an attitude of selfishness, not gratitude
Step 3. Admit your mistakes
One of the hallmarks of a humble person is admitting mistakes. If you make a mistake, a very humble step is to admit to the other person that you are aware of and sorry for your mistake. Don't deny or ignore the error. If you want to practice humility, you have to be able to accept the fact that you're not perfect and admit and apologize for your mistakes.
- When you apologize to another person, look him in the eye and make sure that you are speaking sincerely. Show that you absolutely will not repeat that mistake. Let them see genuine regret through your eyes, not get the impression that you're just apologizing as an obligation.
- Of course, actions speak louder than words. In order to be truly forgiven, you must try not to make the same mistake again.
Step 4. Be the last one
When ordering food at a family dinner, waiting in line at the ticket counter, or waiting your turn at a bus stop, sometimes let someone else get ahead of you. Humble people realize that they and their time are not the most important thing in this world, so sometimes they let other people get ahead of them. It's not recommended that you be weak, but you need to find opportunities where others can get ahead of you if you really want to be humble.
- There is a real humility in saying, "Go ahead, you go first." Try to see that your time is not more important than someone else's time, and let other people get ahead of you.
- Getting ahead of others in the queue is a very unhinged attitude, and everyone understands this even though it's not a written rule.
Step 5. Seek advice from others
Admitting that you don't have the answer to every question/problem and asking others for advice is humbling. When something is confusing or troubling you, turn to a friend for advice. Calmly acknowledge that others have something that can help you and that you are always open to learning more and growing as a person. Truly humble people know that knowledge is limitless, and they always ask that others share what they know with them.
- Don't be afraid to admit that you don't know something. In fact, most people really like to share their knowledge with others and will be happy to help you.
- You can also give compliments when you ask for advice. Just say, "Hey, I think you're really good at math, and I don't understand this stuff at all." This will make the person feel great, as long as you compliment sincerely without fawning over them.
Step 6. Give credit to others
Another way to practice humility is to acknowledge the accomplishments of others. Appreciate the other person as much as you possibly can, from appreciating a coworker's hard work preparing presentation materials to cheering your sister on for sticking around in a difficult situation. Praising another person in public, as long as you don't embarrass him or her, can also be a good way to show respect to others as well as your humility in the face of other people's excellence.
- Get in the habit of telling others when they achieve any success. This will make them as well as you feel comfortable.
- Of course, make sure that the award is appropriate. You don't want the person to think that you only appreciate him for wanting something from him.
Step 7. Give your compliments
If you want to practice humility, you must always be open to complimenting others, from complimenting their appearance to complimenting their personality. To the extent that your compliment is genuine, you will make the other person feel better about themselves as well as help yourself practice humility. Truly humble people realize that other people have so many qualities in themselves that are worthy of praise.
Even simple words like, “I really like your earrings. Your eyes look so beautiful with these earrings,” can make a person happier, and this is very easy to do
Part 3 of 3: Living in Humility
Step 1. Be a volunteer
If you get used to volunteering your time and abilities as a volunteer, you can have a more humble life. Whether it's teaching children and adults to read at your local library or helping cook at your local soup kitchen, volunteering can help you maintain an attitude of gratitude and help others in need. You can greatly develop humility when you meet people who are grateful for your help, as well as become more generous and not feel entitled to things you don't have.
- Volunteer because you want to, not to brag. You don't have to tell dozens of your friends that you're volunteering. Of course, if you're really feeling proud and want to talk about it, that's a different matter.
- Taking time to help others can make you realize that you don't have to put yourself first. It will make your life filled with humility.
Step 2. Don't compare yourself to others
To constantly practice an attitude of gratitude, never feel jealous and compare yourself to other people, whoever that person is: your neighbor, your close friend, or even a famous celebrity. Focus on being grateful for what you have and enjoying your life with everything in it, without thinking that you have to have what a close friend or coworker has in order to be truly happy. If you live constantly comparing yourself to others, you will never have enough of what you have, and you will never have the humility to be grateful for whatever you have received.
- It's okay to admire other people and feel inspired to be better because of them. But if you're jealous of what he has, you're more likely to be trapped in a bitter feeling that keeps you from enjoying life.
- Don't gossip about other people or bring people down because you are actually jealous of them secretly. Humble people only say nice things behind other people's backs.
Step 3. Have a teachable attitude
People who practice humility are the first to admit that they don't know everything. Whether it's input from a friend or coworker, it's important that you're always open to new possibilities and knowledge. Let others see that they can give/share a lot with you, and avoid being stubborn as if you are the one who understands everything. Even if you believe that you have expertise in something, remember that you can always learn more. Always learning from life is a humble attitude.
- Don't defend yourself when someone tries to teach you something. If the person has genuine intentions, you should try to listen and accept what he or she is teaching.
- Don't make other people think that you have the answers to any questions/problems, as this will discourage them from sharing their experiences with you.
Step 4. Do good deeds without boasting about them
If you want to practice humility, not all of your good deeds have to get the attention of others. Donate money or your old clothes to charity without having to tell anyone. If you happen to find that someone needs change, give them your change. Take part in joint funding projects for topics that interest you. Leave a positive comment on someone's blog on the Internet. Take time to do something nice without expecting anything in return, and this will lead you to be more humble every day.
- If you are the only person who knows about the good deeds you do, this is an experience that will really help you to be more humble.
- You can also write about this experience in a journal, if you wish to share it with others.
Step 5. Don't complain too much
Humble people rarely complain, because they realize that life is very precious and they actually have so much to be grateful for. Granted, everyone will have problems, and it's okay to complain for a while, but don't make this a habit if you want to practice humility. Remember that there are so many people who have bigger problems than yours, and complaining about the little things that happen to you will keep you from practicing humility. Focus on the positive.
- Others will be attracted to people who are positive and show appreciation. If you are always complaining in your life and in your relationships, it will be very difficult for you to develop a life of humility.
- Whenever you find yourself complaining about something, try to counter it with some positive comments.
Step 6. Take more time to get in touch with nature
Getting in touch with nature is a deeply humbling experience, whether it's a hike through the woods, or a day's lay on the beach. Nature can be an excellent reminder that there are bigger things than yourself and your problems, and that we really need to focus on those bigger things and not on ourselves and our petty problems and ambitions.. Getting used to being in frequent contact with nature can train you to be more humble.
Your problems won't look so bad if you're standing on top of a mountain. This may sound corny, but being out in nature will allow you to see that you are but a grain of sand on the vast shores of the universe, and that you should feel grateful for what you have instead of nagging about what you don't have
Step 7. Hang out with children more often
Children have a natural belief in miracles, and they tend to marvel at anything they come across. If you want to practice humility more often, you need to get in the habit of hanging out with children more often. They can help you see the world in a new and fresh light, and you'll be able to rediscover the magic you once felt that you lost because of your daily complaints. Get in the habit of hanging out with children more often, volunteering for children-related projects, or helping a friend who needs babysitting services, as these will all help you to continue practicing humility.
- You may think that you can teach children a lot, but you will be humbled to find that they can teach you a lot too. Listen to their way of looking at the world and experience that it will help you become a more humble and grateful person.
- Hanging out with children will rejuvenate your belief in miracles. This will help you to appreciate the world around you more and prevent you from taking things for granted.
Step 8. Do yoga
Yoga is a body practice that is based on being grateful for your body and the time you have been given during your life in this world. Sure, some of the movements in yoga can be good exercise too, but the most important thing is because yoga trains you to be in touch with your mind and body and not to take your every breath lightly. If you want to work on developing a humble attitude, you need to practice yoga regularly in your daily life.
Taking 2-3 yoga classes a week can change the way you see the world. If you don't have enough time for it, you can do yoga yourself at home
Tips
Don't defend yourself in the face of constructive criticism
Warning
- Humility does not mean allowing others to embarrass or humiliate you more than you can bear.
- Remember to always say "no" at times, when you need to give yourself time.
