Humility as a Virtue

I have been thinking a lot about humility lately.  It is a virtue for starters.  I can honestly say that I appreciate being humbled by others--even when it doesn't feel good.  Last week, someone came up to me and constructively critiqued my work.  I wasn't expecting it; it did not come from my manager or even my coworkers.  It gave me pause and helped me think about myself and my performance.  Oh, to see ourselves as others do...

Then, the polar vortex came along and took Minnesota by frigid storm.  Schools closed; workplaces shuttered.  Everyone went indoors if they could, and I found myself thinking about how the weather itself humbles.  It started me thinking about my childhood hero, Laura Ingalls.  How did she do it?  How did anyone cope with the elements under duress?  Obviously, they had no choice and didn't know any different, but still.  This weather caused me to go inward with my thoughts and consider what really matters--safety first and survival.

And then, I started thinking about how self improvement with weight loss, fitness, personal growth all involve a large dose of humility among other key virtues like patience, strength, courage and faith to name a few.  We have to have courage to even begin something new or to go back to it over and over again.  We have to have faith that eventually our hard efforts will reap the rewards we are seeking.  We have to be strong in body, mind and spirit to simply persevere day in and day out.  And, we can be humbled at any step in the process.  Sometimes like the weather--there are forces far greater at work.  And for this, I am humbled yet again.

I brought up humility with my yoga students this week. On Tuesday--before the nastiest of all cold set in, I had a large group of yogis in barefoot on the mat as usual, keeping their routine going.  It was admirable.  The human spirit to persevere is daring and strong.

There will be a 90 degree temperature swing in Minnesota by this weekend.  Nature's reminder that anything can happen yet still life goes on, like it did for generations before us and generations to come.  This is the humility I am focusing on now.