BE HUMBLE

"It's hard to be humble," says an old country song, "when you're perfect in every way." Of course, few people actually think they're perfect in every way. But it can still be pretty hard to be humble, especially if you live in a society that encourages competition and individuality. Yet even in such a culture, humility remains an important virtue. Learning to be humble is of paramount importance in most spiritual traditions, and humility can help you develop more fully and enjoy richer relationships with others.

Admit that you're not the best at everything -- or anything: No matter how talented you are, there is almost always somebody who can do something better than you. Look to those who are better and consider the potential for improvement. Nobody is the best at something.

Even if you are the best in the world at doing one thing, there are always other things that you cannot do, and may never be able to do.

Recognizing your limitations does not mean abandoning your dreams, and it does not mean giving up on learning new things or improving your existing abilities.

Recognize your own faults: We judge others because it's a lot easier than looking at ourselves. Unfortunately, it's also completely unproductive and, in many cases, harmful. Judging others causes strife in relationships, and it prevents new relationships from forming. Perhaps even worse, it prevents us from trying to improve ourselves. Everybody makes mistake.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes: Part of being humble understands that you will make mistakes. Understand this, and understand that everyone else makes mistakes, and you will have a heavy burden lifted off of you. Any one person can know only the smallest bits and pieces of the tremendous knowledge that has accumulated over the past.

Avoid bragging: Don't talk about how amazing your achievements are; if you're really so great, then other people will recognize your efforts and will praise you for them. Don't talk about your amazing promotion, the incredible painting you just finished, or how awesome it was that you just finished a marathon. Sure, these things are awesome, but bragging about them will only make you look self-centred and will impress people much less than waiting for them to figure out how amazing you are.

Help others: A big part of being humble is respecting others, and part of respecting others is helping them. Treat other people as equals and help them because it is the right thing to do. It's been said that when you can help others who cannot possibly help you in return, you have learned humility. Helping people in need will also make you appreciate what you have even more, and will make you less proud.