By: Lindy Earl
The world is an odd place. I know everything seems to be topsy turvy some days, especially after a bizzare incident, whether national or international. One thing to know, and that has been said since the beginning of time, is that there is nothing new under the sun. Good and evil have always existed. They will continue to exist.
The question for now is, how are you going to live your life? Are you living in such a way that you can look back on your actions, words, and thoughts, and sleep well at night? I still shudder at some of the, basically silly, if not stupid, things I have done in my past. Inappropriate responses. Simply wrong conclusions. Bad decisions.
When, however, I choose to live my life humbly, thinking about others first, and putting others’ needs before my own, then I can look back and feel okay, and sleep well. When atrocities happen, with my humility and love for others locked in, I can move forward and think about how to help others. I don’t want to just talk about it, but actually take action and do something. I don’t think jumping on an airplane will help, any more than I can head to another state when a hurricane or something hits. There are other ways I can help.
Once your decision is made to live humbly, find specific ways you can do this. Yes, think about them ahead of time, so you will be prepared (thanks, Boy Scouts). In time it will become a great habit. But for now, plan on letting people in front of you, whether you are in your car or in line at a store. Make it a point of asking how others are and encourage them to tell you, expounding on the typical, “I’m fine.”
How can you make others feel important? What can you do to put others first and be humble in spirit? Ideas are welcome! I’ve heard of others paying for lunch for the car behind them at a Drive Through. This puts total strangers first. Think of some ways you can be humble with colleagues, clients, vendors – maybe it’s as simple as giving them the meeting time of their choice, even if it is inconvenient for you.
Being a morning girl, I dislike late afternoon appointments, so agreeing to a late meeting without complaint would be one way for me to be humble. It’s the not complaining part that would be especially hard for me – I could agree to a late meeting, but would whine until I arrived.
Find ways to be humble at home, with siblings, spouses, and children. Yes, humble yourself in front of your kids – that would be an awesome lesson for them, and possibly you as well.
The point is to make humility such a habit that you naturally think about others first. Be kind. Be loving. Be thoughtful. Then, when something happens, at work, at home, in the political world, on the other side of the world, wherever . . . you are already responding in the right way. In a way that is good and natural for you.
You would probably agree that a little humility can go a long way in getting along with others, showing compassion, and letting others know how much you care – all ways of showing what a great person you are!
Lindy is a Speaker, Columnist, Author, and Consultant.
* Contact her at Ask@LindySpeaks.com to submit a question for her Advice Column or hire her as a Consultant or to speak at your next event.
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http://www.lindyspeaks.com/Products.html for $8.00 (half off Amazon’s price).
