The second most common use of the word 'humble' refers to inferiority or insignificance.
And maybe that's why humility is so rare. And so difficult.
A long time ago we were told to love others as we love ourselves. That is, since we don't have a problem thinking of ourselves, caring for ourselves, loving ourselves, we should turn that love towards others.
We don't typically have a problem with loving and caring for ourselves. We don't neglect our own survival. We don't neglect thinking of ourselves.
(But that doesn't mean we make choices or act in ways that are always good for us.)
Because we love ourselves and we're told that loving ourselves is inappropriate, proud and selfish, we feel guilt. Why? Because the typical response to the obvious - that we love ourselves - is to deny, denounce and refuse this love. We're taught to rehearse how worthless, how selfish and how self-centered we are. But that's not the truth about our life.
It's not 'love others instead of ourselves' or 'love others in spite of ourselves' but since we love ourselves love others in the same way.
That's the truth.
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