It's A Thin Line Between Humility and Low-Self Esteem

[A Smallanyana Thread]

Humility: A liberation from consciousness of self. A freedom from pride or arrogance.
Low Self-Esteem: A lack of confidence in self. A fragile sense of self that can easily be wounded by others.

Many confuse these 2.

I have personally thought I was being humble kanti ngishwaya yiLow Self-Esteem. Someone gives me work, I say "why me" "I am not ready, why don't you approach so and so". Someone reaches out to compliment me and instead of saying Thank You, I speak down upon myself.

Low Self-Esteem has robbed countless people of a lot of opportunities because when they come knocking you send them next door. Then get mad when people with a quarter of what you have, prosper I would go as further as to say an "Imposter Syndrome" falls in this category.

You can be Humble BUT firm, Humble BUT kungabikho muntu odlalela ekhanda lakho, Humble BUT ungajwayelwa kabi, Humble BUT not exploited. Humility, in simpler terms, is a removal of ego and all that ego carries with it in its "lucky packet".

Low Self-Esteem comes with a fragility, a sense of "I don't deserve it" (Contrary to popular belief, it is GOOD to affirm yourself and pat yourself on the back for a job well done), and people can walk all over you and all you say would be "Hhay Karma is a Bitch, it'll get them"

Lalela, Low Self-Esteem is a constrictor that tightens its grip around you everytime you try to breath. It is something that, after recognising you have, you need to let go of. Saying NO to someone or things doesn't make you a horrible person, you just know ukuthi uyaphi.

"But I was born this way", a big fat NO Low Self-Esteem is a social construct (NB! This excludes neurological medical conditions where some people have a chemical imbalance that is treated with medication), words that cut deep, mean people saying mean things to you repeatedly.

"Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall" (Proverbs 16:18). This passage of Scripture is very clear, the problem is Pride and Arrogance. For these make you blind and you only gain your eyesight when you hit rock bottom.

Humility on the other hand keeps you vigilant. You celebrate your wins but never lose sight of the road ahead. You pat yourself on the back but know you can break your own records.

Humility affirms and acknowledges your dopeness, Low Self-Esteem puts your dopeness up for rental

Which side shall you Choose

(I will make another thread about Low Self-Esteem that stems from Physical, Verbal, and Sexual Abuse )

Philani Bomakhelwane

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