Sometimes you have to be willing to suffer embarrassment and shame and swallow your pride.
There will come a time when you need to pluck up the courage to make yourself vulnerable to ridicule. These are situations many of us will do almost anything to avoid. They often make their first appearance while we are still quite young. The context of how and when you had to swallow your pride can determine your resilience in future situations. The experience can leave you devastated and emotionally scarred.
Swallowing your pride does not mean you are weak. It displays a level of emotional intelligence. When you have reached the point where it is the only option, overcoming the urge to run and hide becomes easier. Your choice is made up by accepting that it will be difficult and humiliating. When swallowing your pride is the only way forward, it’s through a desire for, “the greater good.”
Being willing to admit when you are wrong and forgo your ego being stroked, sets you up for future situations. I love the idea of starting every sentence containing your opinion with, “I could be wrong…” Being willing to be wrong allows you to keep an open mind to other possibilities. Having the EQ to remain humble and keeping your ego in check, determines how you respond to differences of opinion.
Our pride — our ego — gets us into a lot of difficult situations. Often, the need to be right, to win, overrides our desire to be tolerant and compassionate. Being proud of our achievements or the success of someone we love and care about is a normal reaction. A healthy amount of pride is necessary and accepted. It’s when that pride shows hints of arrogance and narcissism that you have to look out for. When displaying signs of an exaggerated appreciation of your achievements, you undermine and devalue those around you.
There is a reason pride is considered the worst of the seven deadly sins. When hubris sets in, dangerously corrupt selfishness and contempt for one’s neighbour ensues. Putting your desires and urges ahead of others shows a perverted sense of self. It shows an excessive admiration of our own achievements, presenting ourselves as godlike. Having the urge to show compassion and humility to others will prevent the “anti-God” state which C.S. Lewis speaks of in Mere Christianity. Lewis considers it the position when the ego and the self are directly opposed to God.
“Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison. It was through pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.” Pride is understood to sever the spirit from God, as well as His life-and-grace-giving presence.
“Pride goeth before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall
Having a keen sense of our willingness to be wrong and letting some things go without the need to “win”, opens the door to a more caring, empathetic and compassionate world.
Have an awesome weekend and please be generous! 😄
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