Humility

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are we not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone.
And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others.

My friends and I were having a conversation this evening, during which I mentioned how amazing I am.  Now while, in a way, I was saying this jokingly as I often do, it did move us to a more serious topic (I think) when one of my friends said "And she's humble too!"  Now, please note, I mean no disrespect to the person who said this in anyway, he's a great guy, but in my opinion this is an overused, and inappropriately used term.  I quickly responded, quite seriously, that I considered myself quite humble.  He then told me that if I was really humble, I wouldn't say that.

Now, perhaps I have a different opinion as to what the term humble means, but I believe that a person who knows they are humble will, when appropriate, admit to being so.  It is a Christlike quality that we are all striving for.  I also believe that Christ, as the most humble person ever, would tell you when asked, quite simply, that yes, He's humble.

Humility is not putting yourself down. In fact, I believe that it's just the opposite.  I don't believe that Heavenly Father is ever happy with us when we put ourselves down.  How would you feel about hearing someone you love more than anything say they're stupid, not good enough, or hopeless?  To me, humility is the ability to see yourself for who you truly are, understand your gifts, and allow yourself to be praised for them; all the while knowing where they came from and giving thanks for them.  I see no problem at all in telling yourself that you are amazing, incredible, or brilliant.  As long as you are not doing so by putting others down.  A truly humble person will not only see the good in themselves, but they will see the good in others, and tell them that they do.  I have taken up the habit of trying to compliment people whenever I think of something.  If I like someone's shirt, I tell them so.  If I think they did awesome in class, I tell them.  Just thinking a compliment does no one any good.

So, any of you who may be offended, or put off by me taking a compliment by saying "thanks, I know, I'm amazing," please understand.  It's not that I am a vain person.  It's simply that I know who I am.  And as God is my creator, I am automatically amazing by default. I only try to live up to that status.