The 5 types of humility that we should practice

What does it mean to you to be humble? Do you see this attitude as necessary? There are those who think that carrying out this practice represents little more than a threat to their “self.” In a highly competitive society where putting oneself before oneself is common, humility is perceived as a form of weakness. It’s like allowing yourself to be that doormat that everyone steps on and that no one respects.

Now, whoever assumes this idea is wrong. Humility is more than just a human virtue: we are dealing with a cognitive strength capable of encouraging psychological well-being. Because this dimension goes beyond being compassionate and removing all artifice from our behavior to show ourselves in a simple and authentic way. It is also a wonderful mental craft.

A person is also humble when he renounces certain thought patterns that feed dangerous value judgments, for example. It is knowing how to free yourself from the inertia of that mental approach that does not question itself and that, almost without realizing it, reinforces irrational beliefs and negative mental patterns.

There are many ways to put this area into practice and all of them can benefit us.

Intellectual humility is a dimension that we should all integrate into our approach and behavior.

Types of humility that you should know

Religious and spiritual traditions, such as Buddhism, emphasize that one way to achieve enlightenment is to be humble. Somehow, human beings have integrated this term as a form of altruistic behavior in which there is a constant interest in the well-being of others. However, being humble also means taking care of yourself without this translating into selfishness or narcissism.

From a psychological point of view, humility leads us to what we know as emotional neutrality.. An example of this is not needing to be better than anyone or always putting yourself above others (not below them either). It is a process of gradual self-improvement in which the competitive reflex is disconnected to activate the reflection reflex.

It’s like what the psychotherapist Fritz Perls pointed out to us in his day. : “I am I and you are you; “I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine.” Taking this approach can be as cathartic as it is liberating, one that would allow us to put different types of humility into practice.

1. Intellectual humility, the value of having an open mind

Intellectual humility is the ability to make use of the flexibility of knowledge, admitting one’s own mistakes and being clear that we do not know everything. Only those who are open to new ideas can achieve wisdom, only those who understand that there is no universal truth will be able to reach agreements with others.

The University of Cambridge carried out a study in which it demonstrated something obvious related to this issue. Intellectual humility is essential to avoid bias when evaluating one’s beliefs. This capacity is not only a virtue of character, it requires constant cognitive effort with which to recognize that we are fallible and that we can always improve.

2. Cultural humility, your social identity is not the only one or the best

Among all types of humility, that related to culture is one of the most decisive. It defines our ability to avoid prejudice and discrimination by understanding that neither our race, culture, identity or religion is better than any other. Being culturally humble prevents us from falling into racism in all its forms.

3. Intergenerational humility, your age does not make you more useful or better

It is often said that the world belongs to the young. Whether because of their strength, their beauty or their supposed capabilities, it is assumed that only they are valid in almost any area. This causes dynamics such as ageism (discrimination against the elderly) and adultcentrism (discrimination against children and adolescents) to appear.

4. Humility of skills, you don’t know how to do everything

You may have extraordinary ability and outstanding talent in more than one area. However, this does not make you better than anyone else. What’s more, it may Somewhere there is someone who surpasses you in gifts and resolution. This undoubtedly forces us to reduce pride, understanding that sometimes, even when someone is an expert, they are still an apprentice on the journey of life.

Being humble in our skills will allow us to understand that we do not know how to do everything, and that there is always something more we can learn.

Humility is demonstrated in the way we treat others.

5. The need to be humble in wonder

This is one of the types of humility that contributes the most to happiness. When was the last time you were surprised by something? Wonder is the ability to perceive the beauty of everyday life, to enjoy the extraordinary nuance and unusual detail.. Only when we delight in everything good that surrounds us, no matter how simple it may be, do we achieve true happiness.

Only those who look around them through the filter of humility are amazed at the wonders that surround them. For it, We must attend to what surrounds us without thinking about profits, interests or competitive desires. It is enough to appreciate what opens before us here and now. Nothing else. Why not try it?

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