What is pride? Some define it as: High or inordinate self-esteem or a feeling of deep pleasure derived from one’s own self achievements, conceit or arrogance. How do we avoid pride? Some ways are by practicing gratitude, praising others, and giving credit to others. Also, by avoiding comparisons and being boastful. “Comparison is the thief of joy,” attributed to President Theodore Roosevelt and others, evokes a powerful sentiment that can be life changing. If we compare ourselves to others, we may be left with feelings of inferiority or superiority—and neither creates an emotionally healthy human being.

Remember the expression “Pride comes before the fall” or Proverbs 16:18 that states, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Philippians 2:3: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

In our small group we started a gratitude journal and we challenged ourselves to list 30 items for the first time. It seems like a lot, but with minimal effort you can list even more than 30. I find it is a good way to remain humble, but also to keep a fresh and healthy mindset.

I also enjoy this quote from C.S. Lewis: “The vice I am talking of is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility…According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites 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.”―C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

As I start the new year, I am going to guard against pride. As my mother always told me, “If I don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all,” or simply stated: Be Kind or Be Quiet.