Humility: Know Your Self-Worth

Humility does not mean devaluing yourself or degrading your worth. Quite the opposite: humility requires recognizing your incredible potential to accomplish great things while also acknowledging your humanity. We all make mistakes. None of us can know everything. Mystery will always be part of life—there will always be events we cannot explain and truths beyond our grasp. Humility accepts this reality without frustration or arrogance.

Humility also means recognizing that we are not entitled to many of the things we assume we deserve. The world will not bend at our command, and that is perfectly okay. When we release the illusion of entitlement, setbacks no longer breed bitterness or resentment. Instead, we accept outcomes with grace and channel our energy into growth, perseverance, and renewed effort.

Equally important, humility reshapes how we relate to others. It is not treating others as lesser than you, but it is also not treating yourself as lesser than others. A humble person first acknowledges their own dignity and worth, then recognizes and affirms the worth of others.

Humility is also expressed in forgiveness. It is noble to forgive, but even more humble to ask for forgiveness. The ability to admit wrongs and seek reconciliation reflects both self-awareness and courage.

At its core, humility balances two truths: our remarkable capacity to influence the world, and our profound vulnerability in the face of forces beyond our control. To hold both of these at once—our strength and our fragility—is the daily practice of humility.

Finally, humility is not only about who we are now but also about who we aspire to be. True humility means admitting that we are unfinished, that growth is always possible, and that there are lessons we have not yet learned. For instance, you may be quick-tempered now but aspire to be patient; practicing patience is not inauthentic—it is humility in action, an acknowledgment that you are becoming someone greater. Humility therefore opens the door to transformation, because it recognizes that we are never complete and never above growth.

Reflection:Think of a time when you had to admit you were wrong. How did humility in that moment open a path for growth, either in yourself or in your relationship with others?