Humility is one of the pillars of a successful recovery. By being humble, you open yourself up to learning life skills essential to your recovery and sobriety. You are less likely to take your life and sobriety for granted, and you become an inspiration to others.
In this world of social media and selfies, humility is one of the many traits that are seemingly, and hugely, undervalued. More focus is put on empowerment, assertiveness, and getting ahead. While these are not bad traits, it puts humility as a weakness.
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When you, as someone battling with drug or alcohol addiction, get into a rehab facility for treatment, you will be taught about humility, something which may be difficult for you to grasp at first. However, this lesson on humility is one of the most important pillars that can help pave the way for your progress. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll realize that you will find the practice of humility worthwhile and a great tool in your recovery.
What is humility?
Humility can mean many things to different people, but basically, it is about being modest and practicing respect and courtesy. Humility is the opposite of arrogance, which is one of the most common traits in people who are always in trouble and in conflict with other people.
By being humble, you are much more aware of your strengths, weaknesses, and limitations.
However, it is important that you differentiate humility from being a doormat. You can still be assertive and humble at the same time, it just depends on how you communicate yourself. You can still stand up for your rights without being disrespectful and still being fully aware of your own imperfections and limitations.
Humility and Recovery
Humility is very important in recovery. In fact, it is part of the 12 Steps. This said, there really is no room for arrogance in recovery.
Humility can benefit your recovery in many ways:
- Humility means there are things that you don’t know and you’re not afraid to ask questions. This may make you feel shy or even stupid sometimes, but it’s actually the people who never ask questions are the ones who remain stupid.
- Humility allows you to learn. Every day is a new chance to learn something new, and if you’re arrogant, you will feel like you know everything and not open yourself up to the many things you are yet to learn. In recovery, humility keeps you away from ignorance and denial, so you can learn the life skills important to grant you a successful recovery.
- People who are humble are less likely to relapse as they will be less likely to be overconfident and therefore take their sobriety for granted.
- Humility allows you to have plenty of friends because people want you to be around instead of someone arrogant.
- Humility gives you less stress in life because you don’t get in as much trouble as when you are arrogant and always in conflict.
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Humility allows you to acknowledge your shortcomings and be grateful of your successes, and therefore be an inspiration to others.
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